Top-seed Stanislas Wawrinka was given a scare in the second round of the Japan Open, but came through in three sets against home favourite Tatsuma Ito.
Wawrinka, the world number four, looked comfortable in the first set, not offering his opponent a single break point on his way to a 6-3 success.
Ito then hit back in convincing fashion in the second, winning four games in a row from 2-2 to take the match to a decider.
Wawrinka came out fighting at the start of the third, opening up a 4-0 lead before Ito won four of the next five games to claw it back to 5-4.
With Wawrinka serving for victory, Ito managed to save three match points but couldn't earn a break point and Wawrinka was able to convert on his fourth match point to reach the quarter-finals.
The French Open champion will face either Austin Krajicek or Joao Sousa in the last eight.
Pascal Lemesre
