MADRID: Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga went back to work erasing his reputation as the forgotten man of 2008 with a fightback victory into the third round of the Madrid Masters yesterday.

The Frenchman, world-ranked 14th, recovered from 3-5 down in the final set to advance past Spaniard Marcel Granollers 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5).

Seeds had a mixed day, with No. 3 Novak Djokovic escaping against Romanian Victor Hanescu, who retired injured to hand over a 6-7 (8-10), 7-6 (10-8), 3-1 victory to the Serb.

Ninth seed Juan Del Potro also went through without completing his second-round match as Finn Jarkko Nieminen quit while trailing 6-2, 4-2 with a thigh injury picked up last week in a run to the Stockholm semifinals.

Seventh seed David Nalbandian began his title defense with a test before overcoming Czech Tomas Berdych 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1.

The Argentine then confirmed that he would play in next month’s Davis Cup final against Spain despite quarreling with his federation over the home venue.

“Yes, of course,” we are in the final and I’m going to compete.

I’ve never been in doubt about my participation,” he said after telling a Buenos Aires newspaper last week that his participation might be in doubt.

Croatian 14th seed Ivo Karlovic fired 24 aces as he beat Swede Robin Soderling 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (10-8) to advance. Former world No. 1 Roger Federer was opening later against Radek Stepanek. Tsonga made a name for himself despite losing the Melbourne Grand Slam final in January to Novak Djokovic, then found himself undergoing knee surgery a few months later.

As he plays in his third event since returning — he won the Bangkok title last month — Tsonga says he’s got nothing to prove, except to himself.

“I don’t feel forgotten,” said Tsonga, who will next face the winner from second seed Roger Federer and Radek Stepanek. “But the injury was very difficult for me.

“I’ve only played 10 or 11 events and I’m ranked 15th in the world — what would have happened had I been healthy and played 20? “It’s not really important to me if I’m remembered or not right now. All I want to do is to play my tennis and try to do the best possible on the court.” Tsonga’s win was the 25th of his season against 10 defeats. In a second-round shock in the Spanish capital, American qualifier Robby Ginepri shocked Russian fifth seed Nikolay Davydenko in a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 decision.

The No. 63 had a history in Madrid, reaching the semifinals in 2005 and next faces Frenchman Gilles Simon.

Davydenko came in intent on rescuing his season after playing the Moscow quarterfinals last week.