U.S. Open Day 6: Federer, Azarenka, Murray play for spot in second week

US Open Day 6 schedule and top matches to watch featuring Roger Federer, Victoria Azarenka, Andy Murray, John Isner, Simona Halep and more.

Benjamin Snyder | Sep 4, 2015

U.S. Open Day 6: Federer, Azarenka, Murray play for spot in second week /

NEW YORK – Roger Federer and Victoria Azarenka compete on Day 6 of the U.S. Open, along with Andy Murray, Simona Halep and John Isner. Meanwhile, four Americans total will vie for a coveted place in the second week. Matches begin at 11 a.m. ET on WatchESPN and coverage on ESPN begins 1 p.m. ET. Check out the full television and broadcast schedule here. Full order of play for Saturday can be found here.

Matches and storylines to watch on Day 6

Roger Federer goes up against Philipp Kohlschreiber: As Federer bids for major title No. 18, he faces No. 29 Kohlschreiber in the third round (second match, Arthur Ashe). Federer comes into the match having lost just nine games in the first two rounds. He also won the title in Cincinnati against Novak Djokovic in a tune-up to the U.S. Open. Federer has absolutely dominated Kohlschreiber in their head-to-head, winning all ten of their contests. Notably, however, the German took Federer into a third set tiebreak in their last match earlier this year in Halle.

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Victoria Azarenka faces Angelique Kerber next: Despite suffering from an injury-plagued 2014, No. 20 Azarenka has made a solid run at the U.S. Open this year. The former World No. 1 takes on No. 11 Angelique Kerber for a spot in the fourth round. Kerber, interestingly, catapulted herself into the spotlight in 2011 at the U.S. Open when she made a surprise run to the semifinals. Azarenka, however, leads their head-to-head four matches to one, although their last match was in 2012.

Andy Murray plays second on Arthur Ashe: The 2012 U.S. Open winner plays No. 30 Thomaz Bellucci in the last match on Ashe. The World No. 3 scraped by Adrian Mannarino after coming back from two sets to love down. In his next match, Murray may draw an ounce of confidence from the fact that he took out Bellucci comfortably in their last meeting in 2011.

Four Americans in action, including John Isner: No. 13 John Isner inches ever-closer to his career-best showing at a major, which came at the U.S. Open quarters in 2011. He faces Jiri Vesely next, a player he’s never played, in the second match on Louis Armstrong Stadium. Interestingly, Vesely took out another big server in Ivo Karlovic in the second round on Thursday and should expect a similar style of play from the 6’10” Isner.

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Other Americans playing on Day 6 include Donald Young, who’s bidding to match his career-best fourth round showing at the U.S. Open from 2011, vs. Victor Troicki (third match, Grandstand), Varvara Lepchenko vs. Mona Barthel (third match, Louis Armstrong) and Shelby Rogers, who faces No.2 Simona Halep in the first night on Arthur Ashe.

More matches to watch: Petra Kvitova vs. Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (first match, Arthur Ashe); Andrea Petkovic vs. Johanna Konta (first match, Louis Armstrong); Stan Wawrinka vs. Ruben Bemelmans (fourth match, Louis Armstrong); Bernard Tomic vs. Richard Gasquet (first match, Grandstand); Sabine Lisicki vs. Barbora Strycova (fourth match, Grandstand); Tomas Berdych vs. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (first match, Court 17)