Tsonga claims quarterfinal slot in Beijing

BEIJING, Oct. 6 (UPI) -- No. 1-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga ousted China's Zhang Ze in straight sets Thursday during second-round play at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing.

Tsonga, playing Zhang for the first time in his career, took nearly 60 percent of the points in a 6-3, 6-4 win over Zhang. Tsonga dropped just 16 points in 10 service games and saved three of Zhang's four break-point chances.

Tsonga next goes against Juan Carlos Ferrero, who was a 6-4, 6-4 winner over Marcel Granollers in his second-round match. Ferrero didn't lose his serve in advancing.

Also Thursday, Kevin Anderson and Albert Montanes played for than two hours before Anderson scrapped out a 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-4) win and Marin Cilic's 6-2, 6-7 (1-7), 6-3 win over Fabio Fognini lasted almost as long. Anderson and Cilic will play each other in Friday's quarterfinals.

In quarterfinals matchups set Wednesday, third-seeded Tomas Berdych is to play Fernando Verdasco and Ivan Ljubicic goes against Mikhail Youzhny.