US OPEN
Djokovic: Vesely withdrawal sees Serb into US Open third round
The Serb will meet Argentina's Guido Pella or Russia's Mikhail Youzhny after the Czech Republic's Jiri Vesely pulled out through injury.
Defending champion Novak Djokovic reached the third round of a major for the 33rd successive time on Wednesday without hitting a ball when his scheduled opponent pulled out with an injury.
Vesely out with arm issue
World number one Djokovic was handed a walkover when Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic withdrew from their second round encounter suffering an inflammation of the left forearm.
Vesely's misfortune was a welcome boost for top seed Djokovic who had required treatment on his upper right arm in his laboured first-round win over Jerzy Janowicz on Monday.
Djokovic had lost to Czech earlier this year
Left-hander Vesely had defeated the Serb at the Monte Carlo Masters in April.
Djokovic will face either Guido Pella of Argentina or Mikhail Youzhny of Russia on Friday for a place in the last 16.
Vesely: "I wish I could play"
"I'm very, very disappointed right now," said 23-year-old Vesely who was also forced to pull out of his quarter-final in Winston-Salem last week with the same injury.
"I was looking forward to playing Novak, I would have nothing to lose. It's a lot of fun, a lot of excitement. I wish I could play."