Alexandr Dolgopolov is through to the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open following a narrow 7-5 3-6 7-6 victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the third round.

Tsonga was the stronger in the opening stages, breaking the 16th seed in the fourth game to take a 3-1 advantage in the first set.

However, Dolgopolov responded to surprise the Frenchman, breaking him in consecutive service games to take the set 7-5.

The second was a similarly tight affair, with Tsonga's break in the eighth game proving decisive as he levelled the match at a set apiece.

There were breaks aplenty in the final set, with neither player able to hold their serve in four straight games at the opening of the decider.

The match settled to go with serve and despite evidently suffering with a back injury, Tsonga was able to force the Ukrainian into a third-set tie-break.

A majestic volley from Dolgopolov set up the first of four match points, but he only needed one as he advanced into the last eight with a hard-fought win.