The third-seeded Frenchman triumphed 7-6, 6-7, 6-1 after struggling with his forehand on Doha's center court.

"I played a lot last year to come back into the top 10, it was really difficult for me," Tsonga said in a courtside interview.

"I came into this tournament without very good preparation. However, I'm here and hopefully I will play good tennis." The first two sets went with serve as the players traded tie breaks before Tsonga, ranked six in the world, took a 3-1 lead in the final set, winning the next two games to love as he wore down the bulky Jaziri.

Tsonga, 26, played a clever lob to earn two match points, sealing victory after the Tunisian put a forehand into the net.

There was little between the players in the first two sets. At 6-5 ahead in the first, Tsonga missed a straightforward forehand to allow his opponent to pull level.

The subsequent tiebreak was riddled with errors, Jaziri serving two double faults and Tsonga one. Tsonga recovered from a mini-break down to clinch the set with a fierce serve that Jaziri, 27, could only club into the net.

Jaziri, the world number 118, saved a break point in the opening game of the second set, dashing to the net to dispatch a whipped winner, and both players increasingly moved in from the baseline, with Tsonga often struggling to return shots played around his feet.

Yet neither player could find a break and the second set concluded with another tiebreak.

Jaziri surged into a 4-1 lead, digging out a brilliant drop shot volley as he charged into the net after Tsonga had given away two points with unforced errors.

The 2008 Australian Open runner-up recovered to take the score to 6-5, but a wide forehand allowed Jaziri to square the match.