Jo-Wilfried Tsonga plays Mikhail Youzhny in one of Friday's most anticipated clashes at the Open 13 in Marseille.
Rotterdam finalist Tsonga smashed down eleven aces to see off the dangerous Sergiy Stakhovsky in three sets on Wednesday and he will need a similar level of serving prowess against Youzhny, one of the leading players on the circuit at this time of the year.
Youzhny had the toughest opening match of anyone in Marseille, up against former world number six Gilles Simon. The Frenchman came out firing in front of his home fans but his forehand gradually broke down and Youzhny capitalised to come through 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Going by the previous matches between these two it looks all set to be a tight encounter. The head-to-head is locked at 2-2 with Tsonga winning one of their biggest matches in the 2008 Australian Open quarters, during his run to the final.
Youzhny took the last one in the fourth round of last year's French Open but as Tsonga had to retire after losing the first set, it was something of a hollow victory.
Prediction: Youzhny in three
