Shevchenko has a quite peculiar headband, and almost as bad, he gets himself broken serving at 4-5; Tiafoe takes set one and doesn’t look impregnable, but it’ll take a better performance to beat him than the one he’s facing.

Also going on:

We’re on serve in our two feature matches, Tiafoe up 4-3 on Shevchenko and Zverev leading Muller 6-4 2-2. On Stadium 17, Rinderknech still has his break, 4-3 in front against Rublev, while Cerundolo and Etcheverry will soon commence a decider,

On 12, Cerundolo leads Etcheverry 4-1 in the fourth; if he closes out, he too forces a fifth.

Shevchenko is indeed decent from the back punishing a backhand winner down the line to secure the break-back! He now trails Tiafoe 2-3, while Lehecka serves out for a 6-4 fourth set; he and Krueger will now play a fifth, momentum with the Czech. Oh, and Andreeva took her breaker against Zheng to lead 7-6(3).

Nothing whatsoever to do with tennis, except it’s brilliant and that’s enough.

On Grandstand, Qinwen Zheng (7), the Wimbledon champ, has held to force a first-set breaker against Erika Andreeva, older sister of Mirra; Rinderknech, who has the game to wind up Rublev, leads him 2-1 with a break; Zverev takes the first set against Muller 6-4; and Lehecka is a hold away from forcing a decider against Krueger.

Zverev is so good at winning the matches he should. I remember when Andy Murray was going from pretender to champion, and as part of that process, he stopped losing to, say, Feliciano Lopez, if someone of that ilk happened to have a good day against him. Zverev is there now, finding ways to lose against the best only, but will he take the final step?

Zverev breaks Muller for 5-4 while Tiafoe does likewise to Shevchenko for 2-0; Lehecka trails Krueger 2-1 but is up a break in the fourth; Nakashima leads Cazaux 6-4 2-1 with a break; and Griekspoor leads Baez 6-1 2-0.

‘He’s a very talented lad but also miserable,” returns Coach Calv on Shevchenko. “Very talented from the back. “I actually watched him play Tiafoe in a practice set last week in Cinci and he absolutely destroyed him, 6-0, But then Francis had a great week, making the final. Not sure how Sheva will cope with the occasion.”

Tiafoe, resplendent in lilac vest and short-shorts, has to fight hard for his first-game hold but he gets there in the end. Shevchenko, though, has come to play and of all the seeds, he’s facing one who isn’t that reliable.

“He’s classic French,” says Coach Calv of Muller. “Great hands, shot-maker, can be very flakey. No massive weapons, no weaknesses, outrageously good-looking.”

I’d like a business card with “shot-maker” on it. Or “outrageously good-looking”, I’m not picky or precious.

Zverev misses a chance for a double break then gets broken, meaning he and Muller are now 3-3 in the first; on Stadium 17, Rublev (6) and Rinderknech will soon get going, while Tiafoe is serving in game one on Ashe against Shevchenko.

Grigor Dimitrov (9) beats Rinky Hijikata 6-1 6-1 7-6(4)

Next on Ashe: Alexander Shevchenko v Francis Tiafoe (20).

Lehecka did indeed take the third set so now trails Krueger 2-1; Nakashima v Cazaux, a match I’d totally be watching were i abke to enjoy my usual four screens, are 3-3 in the first; Etcheverry is up 5-3 on Cerundolo, the first two sets having been shared; Griekspoor leads Baez 5-0; and Niemeier beat Uchijima 6-4 6-0.

Zverev lays down the smack early doors, breaking Muller for 2-0 in the first. And the question for him is the same as it always is: can he finally do enough to win a Slam? He’s seeded to meet Djokovic in the semis with Alcaraz due to face Sinner, and my sense is he’d prefer to avoid the Serb, but ultimately you have to neat everyone to be the champ and the question is more about whether his forehand can hold up under pressure rather than how his game matches up with the rest of the elite.

Keys is really pleased, saying Joint played really well and took a whole to get “used to her ball”. In sport you have to get used to things not going to plan – the injury that saw her depart Wimbledon in tears means she’s barely played since – but also means she’s fresh. She’s changed a lot recently, experimenting with different strings and such, but asked about her private life, she laughs that planning a wedding, renovating a house and travelling the world, all three with her coach-fiance, is not all that easy. Goodness me!

Madison Keys (14) beats Maya Joint 6-4 6-0

Zverev and Muller are away and this is the match we’re being shown; I’ve got Keys v Joint on my other screen, keys up match point at 6-4 5-0 40-30.

Hmmm. Lehecka down two sets to Krueger, breaks for 5-4 in the third and will shortly serve for the third set. If he gets on a roll, he’ll be difficult to stop.

Keys breaks again then consolidates to lead Joint 6-4 4-0; she’ll soon be back in the locker room. Meantime on telly, they’re discussing 1987, when Martina won the women’s singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles – she played the first tow finals on the Saturday then three matches – last eight, last four and final of the mixed – on the Sunday. What a human being.

Next on Armstrong: Alexandre Müller v Alexander Zverev (4).

Back on Ashe, Keys now leads joint 6-4 2-0, and let’s do a full roundup while we’re at it: Dimitrov leads Hijikata 6-1 6-1 5-4 on serve; Krueger leads Lehecka 7-6 6-0 4-3 on serve; and Cerundolo leads Etcheverry 3-6 6-4 1-0 on serve;

“Oh my God, I have no words,” says Ruse, who doesn’t know how she managed to beat the Wimbledon champ. She says her partner is her lucky charm – he’s there today – and thanks her coach following some tough months during which she was injured. This is the best Grand Slam run of her career and she doesn’t care who’s up next, she’s just going to enjoy. New York is her favourite city and she wants to enjoy every moment she has there.

Elena-Gabriela Ruse beats Barbora Krejcikova (8) 6-4 7-5

Badosa is really happy, making round three for the first time; she says it doesn’t sound like much but she was thinking about it on match point, also noting that she was born in New York City so winning here means a little extra. Oh and she confirms that she’ll be playing mixed doubles with Stefanos Tsitsipas, her boyfriend, saying he’s a champion and will always be a champion, though he lost yesterday.

Talking of whom, Ruse smokes a backhand return for 0-15, breaks back to 15, holds, and now Krejcikova must serve to stay in the match.

Paula Badosa (26) beats Taylor Townsend 6-3 7-5

Badosa races to 0-40 and has three match points; can Townsend save herself?

Elise Mertens (33) beats Ajla Tomljanovic 6-3 6-2

Might Townsend have missed her chance? Badosa holds, forcing her to serve to stay in the match at 3-6 5-6, while Krejcikova will, as soon as we’ve heard 90 seconds of Don’t stop Till You Get Enough, serve to take her match with Ruse to a decider.