<p>The second-seeded Swede, last year's French Open runner-up, next plays Argentine Eduardo Schwank who put out Spain's Ivan Navarro 6-3, 7-6. <br /><br />Third seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and number five Fernando Verdasco had to come from behind to advance. <br /><br />Frenchman Tsonga overcame Spain's Nicolas Almagro 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 while home hope Verdasco beat Austrian Juergen Melzer 3-6, 7-6, 6-3. <br /><br />World number 10 Tsonga will play Thiemo de Bakker for a place in Saturday's semifinals after the 21-year-old Dutchman upset seventh seed Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-6, 3-6, 7-6. <br />"I wasn't sliding well at the start, the clay was quite heavy," Tsonga told reporters. <br /><br />"Then I started to play a bit more how I play on hardcourts which enabled me to get back into the match in the second and third set." <br /><br />Verdasco, losing finalist at last week's Monte Carlo Masters, will play Ernests Gulbis on Friday after the Latvian saw off Spanish qualifier Albert Ramos 6-1, 6-3. <br /><br />"I have to prepare for tomorrow's match now which is definitely going to be very tough." <br />Spanish eighth seed David Ferrer, runner-up to compatriot Rafael Nadal in 2008 and 2009, advanced when Simone Bolelli retired from their match with a wrist injury. <br /><br />World number 17 Ferrer was leading 6-0, 3-0 when the Italian pulled out. He next plays Thomaz Bellucci after the Brazilian 13th seed beat Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-4, 6-4. <br /><br />World number three Nadal, who has won the title for the past five years, skipped this week's event to give his body a rest after landing a record sixth consecutive Monte Carlo crown on Sunday.</p>
<p>The second-seeded Swede, last year's French Open runner-up, next plays Argentine Eduardo Schwank who put out Spain's Ivan Navarro 6-3, 7-6. <br /><br />Third seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and number five Fernando Verdasco had to come from behind to advance. <br /><br />Frenchman Tsonga overcame Spain's Nicolas Almagro 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 while home hope Verdasco beat Austrian Juergen Melzer 3-6, 7-6, 6-3. <br /><br />World number 10 Tsonga will play Thiemo de Bakker for a place in Saturday's semifinals after the 21-year-old Dutchman upset seventh seed Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-6, 3-6, 7-6. <br />"I wasn't sliding well at the start, the clay was quite heavy," Tsonga told reporters. <br /><br />"Then I started to play a bit more how I play on hardcourts which enabled me to get back into the match in the second and third set." <br /><br />Verdasco, losing finalist at last week's Monte Carlo Masters, will play Ernests Gulbis on Friday after the Latvian saw off Spanish qualifier Albert Ramos 6-1, 6-3. <br /><br />"I have to prepare for tomorrow's match now which is definitely going to be very tough." <br />Spanish eighth seed David Ferrer, runner-up to compatriot Rafael Nadal in 2008 and 2009, advanced when Simone Bolelli retired from their match with a wrist injury. <br /><br />World number 17 Ferrer was leading 6-0, 3-0 when the Italian pulled out. He next plays Thomaz Bellucci after the Brazilian 13th seed beat Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-4, 6-4. <br /><br />World number three Nadal, who has won the title for the past five years, skipped this week's event to give his body a rest after landing a record sixth consecutive Monte Carlo crown on Sunday.</p>
