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Norrie was the only seed to fall on a relatively quiet day 6 of the US Open.

The 16th seed was beaten in straights by 61st ranked Arnaldi.

Otherwise, the top seeds prevailed. Alcaraz saw off Evans in four. Medvedev straight setted Baez. Sinner overcame Wawrinka in four. Rublev did the same versus Rinderknech. de Minaur won convincingly over Jarry.

Perhaps the most noteworthy victory was Draper’s beating of Mmoh, in four. Draper plays such solid text book attacking tennis and looked far more seasoned than his injury prone self really is.

The most entertaining match of the day, well for two sets anyway, was Dimitrov vs Zverev. It pains me to say Zverev won in four. The first two sets were a shot-makers delight, the two splitting them in tiebreaks, with Dimitrov creating plays and hitting winners on the run. The Bulgarian lost the second set and then went away, seemingly hampered by injury and a Zverev on the up.

The men’s top half last sixteen looks as follows:

Alcaraz vs Arnaldi

Zverev vs Sinner

Medvedev vs di Minaur

Draper vs Rublev

Not stellar by any means but vaguely intriguing, particularly Zverev vs Sinner and Draper vs Rublev.

In the women’s, Jabeur scraped past Bouzkova in 3. Jabeur really bought some excellent shot-making to the match when she was on the verge of defeat in set 2. This was a gritty performance by a player not ruined by her recent slam final disappointments but energised to redeem herself.

Keys came back from a set down to Samsonova. The American’s higher seeded rival seemed troubled by injury and Keys took advantage to make the fourth round.

The ever under the radar, even at her home slam, Pegula fought off Svitolina in three. Zheng also went the distance as she beat Bronzetti.

Kasatkina and Stearns straight setted Minnen and Boulter respectively.

Sabalenka crushed Burel, dropping just two games.

The most remarkable victory for me was Vondrousova over Alexandrova 2 and 1. The Wimbledon champion is unbothered by expectation and has dropped just ten games on her way to the last sixteen.

The women’s bottom half fourth round looks like this:

Stearns Vs Vondrousova

Keys vs Pegula

Jabeur vs Zheng

Kasatkina vs Sabalenka

Nothing that will keep me glued to my TV in the middle of the night, but Keys vs Pegula could be good and I will be interested to see how Jabeur deals with the very dangerous Zheng. Perhaps it will be a late one after all.

Fritz Vs Stricker

Stricker just doesn’t care who he’s playing or how tight things get. He will play hard and fast regardless.

Fritz has a much higher profile and a lot of expectations on him. He can get nervy and go home early.

Fritz surprised me in the last round. He’s been underperforming this year and we’ve heard more about his love life than we have his tennis career. He was dialled in for Mensik and didn’t underestimate him one bit.

He’ll certainly be weary enough of Stricker. Ranked 128, a qualifier with plenty of wins under his belt, and upsets, the Swiss has all the tools to knock Fritz out. This match will tell us a lot about where Fritz is right now. Winning it might also give him another shot to face Djokovic in a slam and settle some unfinished business. That’s surely enough motivation to keep your eye on the ball.

Shelton vs Paul

Fun times ahead, here. Labor day weekend. A US Open derby. A clash of styles. Playing for a slam QF. It’s all here for a potentially great match. It could also be a little bit of a letdown. Paul is maybe a little too experienced for Shelton right now and could easily take this in a comfortable three or four.

However, Shelton has proven his run to the AO QFs was no fluke and he dealt with the pressure of beating Karatsev with some ease. He is on a fast learning curve and may be able to surprise us if he can keep his momentum going.

Wozniacki vs Gauff

Gauff has been getting off to error-prone and slow starts while Gilbert chants ‘Make it physical, she’s tiring’ in the background.

Unlike Mertens and Siegemund, Wozniacki is not going to give Gauff a helping hand if things get tight. Miss Comeback will not be offering errors on a plate. Wozniacki is still hitting a quality ball every strike and forcing her opponents to go for broke if they want the point over.

Gauff may just want Gilbert’s chanting to stop and so assist Wozniacki into the last eight.

Swiatek vs Ostapenko

Ostapenko is pretty consistent at slams. She also couldn’t care less that she’s facing the top seed and defending champ. She’s looking fit and she’s ready to give hell to anyone who bothers her – see her chasing a heckler out of the stadium on the social media platform of your choosing.

Swiatek has been decidedly untested this Open. But, courtesy of the 2017 RG champ, a time before Swiatek was even on our radar, that assessment is coming. Swiatek is vulnerable versus big hitters. Sure, she has the skills to negate them but if Ostapenko comes out swinging and believing, that could be the end of the top seed’s title defence.

Djokovic came back from 0-2 down versus countryman Djere, winning 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3. The usual box of tricks was opened – the inevitable and timely bathroom break.

Djere was always a good bet to push Djokovic, as he did back in Belgrade in Spring. Beating his hero, however, was an altogether different task, and not on the table.

In the next round Djokovic faces Gojo, who beat Vesely. The Czech would have made an interesting match. Gojo, not so much.

Stricker beat Bonzi in five and was elated, backing up his upset over Tsitsipas. The match was the best of the day. Two low ranked players fresh from beating seeds and fighting for a place in the fourth round of a slam. He faces Taylor Fritz next. The American took no prisoners versus Mensik, dropping just three games.

Tiafoe got past Mannarino in four. Impressive stuff considering the expectations on him at home. Next up is Hijikata who beat Zhang in four. The Chinese Ruud slayer is still a little raw but in a year or so, he’ll be top ten.

Paul won a strange match versus Davidovich Fokina. The steady American needed to be just that – steady, and nothing more, for the first two sets which he won 1 and 0. The Spaniard was splaying errors all over Ash, thanks to his very powerful frame and at times empty head. Fokina took a little break then came back for the third ready to play, and blasted Paul off the court with his shot-making and explosive power. Paul steadied the ship in four, accustomed to how the match had changed, and he let Davodovich Fokina die by his own racket.

Paul faces Shelton who beat Karatsev in four. This match intrigues me. Paul is my kind of player – solid and dependable with a clean game. Shelton is a raw talent, and inexperienced. Can Paul take advantage of or will the talent of his younger countryman be too much to handle? This storyline will be played out in front of a home crowd on labor day weekend on Ashe. Pretty good prospect for a fun match if you ask me.

Medvedev vs Baez

Baez is arguably the most dangerous unseeded player left. Medvedev is definitely the most volatile of the top seeds.

Could be fireworks; could be an exhibition from the 2021 champion.

Therefore, a must watch.

Wawrinka vs Sinner

Wawrinka is feeling good, which is a bad sign for his rivals.

Sinner broke through in Canada recently, winning his first Masters title.

Sinner is still unproven at slam level. The pressure is on him. Wawrinka is one of the best players of the last decade. Not the player you want to be meeting when all eyes are on you, and not when they are in their best form for a while.

Dimitrov vs Zverev

It goes against my morals to give Zverev any air time, but this match may be very satisfying.

Dimitrov is both match fit and confident and still one of the best shot makers in the game.

Zverev is on his way back to the top ten and recently made the Cincy semis.

Dimitrov could make that comeback a little more taxing. If the tennis Gods are listening – please make it so!

Caro Wozniacki is back in the third round of slams. Her win against Kvitova was a hugely popular one. Her potential run to the semis is as popcorn worthy as it gets – Brady in round 3, potentially Gauff in round 4 and then Swiatek or Ostapenko in the quarters.

Let’s focus on Brady in the third. The American and 2021 Australian Open finalist is on a comeback of her own. She’ll also have the crowd. Predicting this one is especially hard but I am going to go with Wozniacki. She must be feeling great after turning back the clock versus old rival Kvitova, and at the slam where she’s had the most overall success.

Coco Gauff has been very impressive and handling the hype with smiles and grace. Her match versus Mertens is going to be one to watch. Mertens is as solid as it gets and is in decent form after a tough second round win versus Collins.

The ‘Big 3’ are still on course to line up the semis. Swiatek has been cruising. Sabalenka has been uncharacteristically drama free. Rybakina is moving on with little fuss but partly because her second round opponent was an unfortuanate no-show (Get well soon Tomljanovic).

Will the march to the semis continue so smoothly? Swiatek faces Juvan. No alarms bells ring there. Sabalenka is up against Burel. Again, no upset senses tingling.

Rybakina, though, has Cirstea. What Rybakina does not need right now is a wily, hardened vet in the third round of a slam. Especially as she didn’t get any match practice in round 2. Now, Rybakina should beat Cirstea if she’s in any kind of decent form, but Cirstea can bring it in big matches and Rybakina has had a rough few months. I expect Rybakina to win but my eyebrows won’t raise if Cirstea upsets her.

Jabeur is still going and I thought she might be out early. It has been dicey, though. 23rd seed Bouzkova in round 3 will really tell us how Jabeur is healing from her Wimbledon final disaster.

Other players of interest in round 3:

1. Vondrousova is going under the radar and performing very well. She’s got Alexandrova in round 3. The Russian belts the ball and plays a clean game. A nice clash of styles here and maybe the most interesting of the round 3 matches. Either could win but if Vondrousova does then she’s handling winning Wimbledon incredibly well and it bodes badly for her competition.
2. Keys. Oh, Keys. I have squandered what reputation I had predicting her slam trophy wins. Nevertheless, here she is, murdering her competition. Samsonova is going to be a huge test for her. Keys explosion or implosion, it’s impossible to predict. Which is why I’ll be watching.
3. Svitolina is riding the wave of good form and crowd love that she started at Wimbledon not so long ago. A great match versus Pavlyuchenkova propelled her into a third round versus 3rd seeded Pegula. The crowd will be up for this. As will I. Pegula has put together the steadier and higher flying career in a shorter time, ranked No.3, but Svitolina has the bigger game and depth of career. This could go many ways. Pegula may be too consistent and unflustered and beat Svitolina in straights. Or the Ukrainian may get inspired and produce the higher level. Either way, it’ll be on AA and the crowd will have plenty to say.

Day 4 brought fans another couple of upsets.

Draper beat Hurkacz (17) in straights. Impressive stuff from the young big-serving, attacking Brit who barely seems able to finish tournaments without retiring. There is a lot of buzz about this young man, even more so as he’s from Britain. Hurkacz is a decent scalp, a former Wimbledon semi-finalist and Miami champ. It’ll be interesting to see if Draper’s body can hold up and he can make a deep run here.

Wawrinka upset 31st seed Etcheverry. This was a solid win for the 2016 champ, and an impressive performance. Assured and risk taking, this was a flashback to Stan the Man of old.

The seeds bucked the trend of one upset after another. Of the 12 seeds in action, 10 made it through.

A few noteable results:

1. Isner was sent into retirement by Mmoh, letting a 2-0 lead and match points slip on his way out. On winning, Mmoh gestured the applause Isner’s way. An emotional Isner said a few words before leaving the court and a long and distinguished career. The super tiebreak set in slams should be renamed the Isner-Mahut set.
2. Poor Berrettini had to retire from his match versus Rinderknech with an injury. The Italian seems ridden with bad luck.
3. Arthur Fils lost in five sets to 22 year old Arnaldi. Like Draper, Fils benefits, publicity wise, from being from a slam hosting country, in his case France. But both men do have big potential and 19 year old Fils is one to watch. As for Arnaldi, he’s another member of Italy’s emerging new generation and is probably a name to note down, too.
4. And how could I forget – Dimitrov cleaned Murray’s clock 3, 4 and 1. It did take nearly 3 hours, mind. Still, few expected Murray to go down quite as tamely. The Scot had plenty to say about it, of course, hurling insults to his box the entire match and dropping one F bomb after another. That itself was more entertaining that the otherwise lackluster match, though Dimitrov’s shotmaking made the time spent gawping worthwhile.