Rafael Nadal scores easy win, joins Del Potro in third round of US Open

Defending champion Rafael Nadal got the easiest entry into the third round of the US Open, joining 2009 champion Juan Martin Del Potro and others into the round of 32.

10 time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal led Nicolas Mahut by two sets when the Frenchman decided to sit by the sidelines, giving Nadal an easy entry into the third round of the 2011 US Open, season's fourth and final major, being played here at Flushing Meadows in New York, USA.

Nadal made a fine start to the match and broke Mahut's serve in the third and seventh game to wrap up the first set 6-2. The second set brought a competitive edge to the match initially, when Mahut led Nadal by 2 games to 1. However, post a marathon service hold after saving a couple of break points, Nadal broke Mahut to love and didn't look back from there, racing to a two sets to love lead.

Mahut the decided to sit by the sidelines and retired from the match. Mahut had set up clash with the defending champion after surviving a five set struggle against little known Robert Farah in the first round, the effects of which were really prominent in the match today.

Earlier today, an all-Argentine clash favoured 2009 champion Juan Martin Del Potro, who beat Diego Junqueira 6-2, 6-1, 7-5 to move to the third round of the tournament.

Meanwhile, American John Isner also made a swift progress in the draw with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 win over compatriot Robby Ginepri. Another Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela also advanced with an impressive 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 drubbing of Belgian Steve Darcis.

Other notable winners of the day so far are Igor Kunitsyn, Feliciano Lopez, Gilles Muller, Gilles Simon, Julien Benneteau, Donald Young and David Nalbandian, who scored a tough four sets win over Ivan Ljubicic to move ahead.