NEW YORK: Rafael Nadal stormed into the third round of the US Open on Wednesday by beating Italy's Andreas Seppi 6-0, 7-5, 6-1 in the second round at Arthur Ashe Stadium, here on Wednesday. The fourth seed will now meet Russian Andrey Kuznetsov for a place in the round of 16.

Meanwhile, fifth seed and Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic was knocked out of the US Open on Wednesday by American qualifier Ryan Harrison. The 120th-ranked Harrison won 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 7-5, 6-1 and will now face Marcos Baghdatis for a place in the last 16.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, meanwhile, made the last 32 of a major for the 33rd successive time without hitting a ball when Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic withdrew from their second round encounter suffering an inflammation of the left forearm. Djokovic too had required treatment on his upper right arm in his laboured first round win over Jerzy Janowicz on Monday. Djokovic will now fight against 34-year-old Russian Mikhail Youzhny on Friday for a place in the last 16.

No. 7 seed Marin Cilic defeated Sergiy Stakhovsky, dispatching his opponent in one hour, 40 minutes on Court 17, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, while Jack Sock made easy work of German qualifier Mischa Zverev, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 to advance to the third round of the US Open for the first time in three years.

Meanwhile, Indian tennis stars Leander Paes, Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna, too, began their US Open campaign on winning notes.

Bopanna and his Danish partner Frederik Nielsen defeated 16th seeds Radek Stepanek and Nenad Zimonjic 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3 in the first round men’s doubles on Wednesday.

Seventh seeds Sania Mirza and her Czech partner Barbora Strycova too got the better of unseeded American pairing of Jada Myii Hart and Ena Shibahara 6-2, 6-3 in women’s doubles, while Paes and his mixed doubles partner Martina Hingis won 6-3, 6-2 against Americans Sachia Vickery and Frances Tiafoe.