Spanish second seed Rafael Nadal withstood the determined challenge of a fellow teenager to keep his U.S. Open bid intact on Wednesday.

American 18-year-old Scoville Jenkins, ranked 350 places below Nadal and playing only his third Grand Slam match, forced the fist-pumping French Open champion to fight surprisingly hard for a 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 second round victory.

"Today was very difficult, he is a very good player," said the 19-year-old world number two after reaching the third round at Flushing Meadows for the first time in swirling wind on Arthur Ashe Court.

"I needed to play 100 percent to win this match."