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Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and wild card entry Paul-Henri Mathieu raised the French flag as they moved on to the quarter-finals of the Moselle Open in Metz, France on Wednesday.

The Rogers Cup champion defeated Gilles Muller of Luxembourg in two sets 7(9)-6(7) 6-4 and will face the winner of Belgian David Goffin and Tobias Kamke of Germany.

Tsonga, 29, won the tournament in 2011 and 2012. He is runner-up last year to Gilles Simon, also from France, but Simon withdrew from the tournament due to a right wrist injury.

Local favorite Mathieu also advanced to the quarters after defeating fourth seeded Lukas Rosol 6-3 6-4 in the second round.

Mathieu, 29, is runner up to Gael Monfils in 2009 and is a former Junior French Open champion in 2000 when he defeated Tommy Robredo of Spain in the finals.

He is set to face the winner of sixth seeded Joao Sousa of Portugal and Netherland's Igor Sijsling.

Monfils, another Frenchman, is second seed in the tournament and is set to face Polish qualifier Michal Przysienzny in the second round.

Yet another Frenchman is still in contention as fifth seeded Jeremy Chardy is set to play Jan-Lennard Struff.

French players have dominated the event since 2003, having won seven of 11 titles. World No. 1 Novak Djokovic is a former champion in 2006 as well as Robredo who defeated Andy Murray in the finals of 2004.

Djokovic did not participate in the tourney but will play and defend his title at the China Open to be held at the National Tennis Center in Beijing later this month.

Nine-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal who skipped the U.S. Open citing injury to his wrist will finally be able to play in China and hopes to renew his rivalry against Djokovic.

Other notable entrants in the Beijing are recent U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic, Britain's No. 1 player Murray and Bulgarian star Grigor Dimitrov.

TagsJo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gael Monfils, andy murray, rafael nadal, Marin Cilic, Novak Djokovic, Grigor Dimitrov