The defending champion Rafa Nadal strolled into the third round of the US Tennis Open when his opponent, Frenchman Nicolas Mahut, retired hurt.
The Spaniard already had the match under control, leading 6-2 6-2, when Mahut quit in the first game of the third set, gifting the second seed a place in the next round.
Nadal, who won in New York last year to complete his set of grand slam titles, next faces either David Nalbandian or Ivan Ljubicic.
