Paris, France –  Former Australian Open runner-up Jo- Wilfried Tsonga and former Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych were a pair of third-round winners Friday at the 2012 French Open.

The fifth-seeded heavy French crowd favorite Tsonga handled Italian Fabio Fognini 7-5, 6-4, 6-4, while the seventh-seeded Czech slugger Berdych fought off 31st-seeded South African Kevin Anderson in five sets, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-4, on the famed red clay at Stade Roland Garros. Berdych moved on in 3 hours, 52 minutes with the help of four service breaks, compared to two for Anderson, who bowed out despite popping 22 aces.

Berdych reached the French Open semifinals in 2010, the same year he finished as the Wimbledon runner-up.

Swiss strongman Stan Wawrinka ousted 11th-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon in a five-setter, 7-5, 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 6-2. The 18th seed prevailed in 4 hours, 37 minutes to set-up a fourth-round date with another Frenchman in Tsonga.

In-form Italian Andreas Seppi, seeded 22nd at this French fortnight, upended 14th-seeded Spanish lefthander Fernando Verdasco in five sets, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, to reach the round of 16. Seppi titled on clay in Belgrade last month.

One final second-round result this week saw 20th-seeded Spaniard Marcel Granollers sneak past Tunisian Malek Jaziri 7-6 (7-1), 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 in a match that was suspended because of darkness here on Thursday.