Alex de Minaur has been given an unexpected but welcome free pass into the last-32 of Roland Garros because of an injury to talented second-round opponent Alexander Blockx.
The Australian No.1 won't be unhappy about being able to bypass the round in which he suffered a shock defeat to Alexander Bublik last year, after Belgium's rising star Alexander Blockx had to withdraw on Tuesday with a right ankle sprain.
MORE: Brilliant Birrell beats Pegula in major Roland Garros upset
The 21-year-old Blockx, who shot up to world No.37, was a semifinalist in Madrid last month, where victims included Casper Ruud and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
He represented a serious hurdle to De Minaur, with the pair scheduled to clash first up on Tuesday on Roland Garros's second arena, Court Suzanne Lenglen.
But the youngster was left crestfallen when he turned his ankle in a practice session.
It gives De Minaur a break from a potentially draining affair in the soaring temperatures against an opponent who challenged him when they met in the last-16 at the recent Monte Carlo Masters, before De Minaur previaled 7-5 7-6 (4).
"He's one of the young talents, playing some really good tennis," De Minaur noted about Blockx after his first-round win over Briton Toby Samuel.
"We had a battle in Monaco, and before that he beat some quality players. He backed it up week after week. He's a big kid, big serve, big forehand, dangerous player.
"It's going to be a battle in this heat, and my goal is going to be to make it physical, extend the rallies."
Now, though, the walkover will provide a rest before a demanding third-round contest for 'Demon' on Thursday against either No.26 seed Jakub Mensik, another rising star from the Czech Republic, or the in-form Argentine Mariano Navone, a finalist in Geneva last week.
> RELATED: Walton scores massive triumph over Medvedev
> RELATED: Thanasi Kokkinakis' long road back to Roland Garros