MARSEILLE, France, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Holder Jo-Wilfried Tsonga struggled for form in his first match since his Australian Open semi-final defeat before overcoming Josselin Ouanna 7-6 6-4 in the Marseille Open on Wednesday.

Second-seed Tsonga staved off two break points before snatching the opening set 11 points to nine in the tiebreak.

He then served 10 aces in the second set to seal a hard-fought second round victory against fellow Frenchman and world number 121 Ouanna.

“I hadn’t played for three weeks and I need to find the right pace again,” Tsonga told reporters.

“It is always hard to play against a friend,” the world number nine added.

“No player has ever retained his title in Marseille so I know what my challenge is but let’s go step by step.”

Tsonga will meet either Belgium’s Olivier Rochus or Ukraine’s Illya Marchenko in the quarter-finals.

Frenchman Michael Llodra, who lost to Tsonga in the final last year, surprised Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis, seeded seventh, 7-6 6-4 while fourth-seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo suffered an early exit with a 6-2 3-6 6-1 defeat against German Mischa Zverev. (Reporting by Eric Salliot; Writing by Bertrand Boucey in Paris; Editing by Justin Palmer; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)