Tsonga (left) and Nadal share a 1-1 head-to-head record
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Rafael Nadal has a chance to avenge his Australian Open semi-final upset by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the fourth round of the Pacific Life Open.
Nadal, who is defending champion in Indian Wells, saw off up-and-coming American wildcard Donald Young 6-1 6-3.
Tsonga, now the world number 17, beat fellow Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 to set up the Nadal tie.
Female top seed Ana Ivanovic also advanced to the fourth round with ease, dispatching Tathiana Garbin 6-3 6-0.
Nadal took advantage of Young's early nerves to romp away with the first set, although the 18-year-old provided stiffer resistance in the second.
But the American was unable to capitalise on his one break point at 3-5 down and Nadal served out for the match.
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"All matches are important for me but especially here where I am defending my title because last year I played my best tournament here," he said.
"It's going to be important for me to serve well against Tsonga. He's strong in his serve.
"From the baseline I must try to play a little bit more aggressively than in Australia."
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Feature: Behind the scenes at Indian Wells
Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic moved into the fourth round with a 6-3 6-2 win over Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber.
"I think I have gained something in my game," revealed the 20-year-old after winning in just over an hour.
"I have figured out with experience how I should play in the first couple of rounds."
French eighth seed Richard Gasquet blasted past Juan Ignacio Chela 6-2 6-1 to set up a meeting with ninth seed, American James Blake, who beat Carlos Moya 6-3 6-4.
The upset of the day went to unseeded world number 52 Hyung-Taik Lee, who edged past Spanish fifth seed David Ferrer 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-3).
There was no problem for women's top seed Ivanovic as she saw off Garbin to set up a fourth-round match with Italian 13th seed Francesca Schiavone, who beat compatriot Flavia Pennetta 6-3 6-4.
"That's very positive," commented Ivanovic. "I finished the match strongly and did some things I was practising and working on, so I'm happy about that."
Jelena Jankovic saw off Japanese veteran Ai Sugiyama 6-1 6-1, despite having her serve interrupted by swirling winds throughout the match.
"I really tried to do my job out there, I didn't want to let her get into the match," said Jankovic.
Jankovic coped with swirling breezes in California to advance
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"Especially with the wind you cannot lose your concentration because as soon as you do that you start making a lot of errors and then you lose your rhythm.
"I was tossing it and I had a different toss every time."
American Lindsay Davenport battled through an error-strewn match to eventually notch up a 6-4 5-7 6-2 win over Taiwan's Chan Yung-Jan.
"It was tough," added Davenport, who won the Indian Wells crown in 1997 and 2000.
"Next time, hopefully I can keep my cool a little better and focus in on the task at hand."
Briton Andy Murray and doubles partner Eric Butorac were beaten 6-4 6-4 in the second round by Richard Gasquet and Robert Lindstedt.
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