US Open Day Seven LIVE! Rafael Nadal faces Nikoloz Basilashvili at Flushing Meadows

Former champions Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams both in fourth round action during day session at Flushing Meadows.

US OPEN - DAY SEVEN

SELECTED MATCHES - DAY SESSION
Rafael Nadal (1) v Nikoloz Basilashvili 
Kaia Kanepi v Serena Williams (17) 
Dominic Thiem (9) v Kevin Anderson (5)
John Isner (11) v Milos Raonic (25)

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13:25

NADAL 6-3 *4-3 BASILASHVILI

Love service hold in double quick time for the 26-year-old Basilashvili as he reduces the deficit in this second set. Pleasant day for the Arthur Ashe Stadium court after the debilitating temperatures of the opening four days. 

The Georgian heads off for a quick comfort break.

13:23

NADAL 6-3 4-2* BASILASHVILI

Coach Carlos Moya nods his support towards his charge Rafael Nadal as his countryman comes through a love service hold with the minimum of fuss.

13:19

NADAL 6-3 *3-2 BASILASHVILI

Credit where credit is due and Basilashvili continues to persevere with his aggressive game style. An ace out wide closes out a hold to 15 to keep him interested in this second set. 

13:16

NADAL 6-3 3-1* BASILASHVILI

Chance for Basilashvili as he is offered two break points when Nadal goes wide, moments after Basilashvili had underlined his ability on the backhand wing with a winner down the line. 

The margins are small with Basilashvili's attacking game and he is unfortunate to see his forehand on the run just miss the sideline as his second break point chance comes and goes. 

A third comes his way from an authoritative backhand winner down the line but once again it is saved with a volley winner by Nadal. The 17-time Grand Slam champion holds firm to come through a testing situation to hold onto his break advantage. 

13:10

THIEM IN CONTROL 

Update from another men's fourth round encounter between Dominic Thiem and Kevin Anderson and it is the Austrian who is in firm command of proceedings against last year's finalist. 

The ninth seed has taken the second set 6-2 to open up a two sets to love lead. It's going with serve in the third set. 

13:06

NADAL 6-3 *2-1 BASILASHVILI 

Basilashvili, 26, won the first title of his career in Hamburg in July and breaks a five-game run in Nadal's favour with a battling hold. Under pressure at 30-30 he fires a backhand winner down the line to bring up game point before breathing a sigh of relief when the Spaniard goes long with a service return.

13:02

NADAL 6-3 2-0* BASILASHVILI 

Basilashvili won only one point out of a possible 12 in the first set but attacks a second serve in punishing fashion to open up a chance of an immediate break back at 30-30. But the world No 37 makes consecutive unforced errors off second serves to hand Nadal the hold. 

12:59

NADAL 6-3 *1-0 BASILASHVILI  

Basilashvili opens the second set with back-to-back double faults - his first of the match - and after saving the first of three break points is unable to extend the game as he goes long with a forehand. 

After the tight opening to the encounter Nadal has found another gear and is firmly in the driving seat. 

12:53

NADAL 6-3 BASILASHVILI 

Basilashvili's court position after his first return of serve is letting him down and Nadal is taking advantage by attacking the the backhand side of the Georgian when the ball comes back into play. 

Basilashvili has hit 10 winners in comparison with seven from Nadal but it is the world No 1 who secures the first set in encouraging fashion.

12:50

NADAL *5-3 BASILASHVILI 

Basilashvili hits a delightful backhand winner crosscourt to get back in the game at 15-15 but Nadal is quickly bringing up two break points with a ferocious winner down the line. 

Nadal's defensive attributes comes to the fore on the second opportunity as he roars in delight as his Georgian opponent finds the net with a backhand. 

12:46

NADAL 4-3* BASILASHVILI

Despite all Basilashvili's sheer power from the baseline, Nadal's greater court coverage is enabling him to maintain his authority during the majority of the exchanges and he does well to reach a service return to flick an inside-out forehand winner down the line. 

12:41

NADAL *3-3 BASILASHVILI

This is a magnificent start from Basilashvili. The Georgian hits back-to-back aces to secure a love service hold having earlier hit a glorious backhand on the rise for a winner down the line. 

Nadal would appear to have his work cut out today.

12:38

NADAL 3-2* BASILASHVILI

Nadal is yet to lose a point behind his second serve and comes through another service hold to maintain his advantage on the scoreboard. 

The Spaniard appears frustrated as he engages in some chat with the umpire - potentially over some timekeeping between points. 

12:35

NADAL *2-2 BASILASHVILI

Basilashvili has started in impressive fashion here. At the end of a 13-shot long rally he reaches for a dead net cord to hit a deft sliced drop shot winner. 

A backhand winner down the line closes out the game. 

12:29

NADAL 2-1* BASILASHVILI

Basilashvili is going after his first strike on the return of serve but Nadal is good enough to absorb the pace on game point and the Georgian eventually goes wide to offer the world No 1 a love service hold.

12:26

NADAL *1-1 BASILASHVILI 

Half of the court is in shade in these early stages but Basilashvili looks assured on his opening service game. He holds to 15 and possesses plenty of power from the baseline.

12:22

NADAL 1-0* BASILASHVILI 

Nadal eases his way to a 40-0 lead before hammering a forehand into the middle of the net to offer Basilashvili his first point of the match. 

The Spaniard looks sharp early doors as he pushes the Georgian side to side before he watches his opponent go long with a forehand on the run. 

12:15

NADAL BATTLES PAST KHACHANOV IN EPIC

Nadal, the defending champion, was forced to stave off Russia's Karen Khachanov in four thrilling sets to reach the last-16 on Friday. 

The world No 1 was forced to battle back from a set down under the closed roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium to come through 5-7 7-5 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (7-3) in a brutal encounter lasting four hours and 23 minutes. 

12:12

HEAD-TO-HEAD

This is the second meeting between Nadal and Basilashvili. Not sure how much we can read into their previous encounter. 

Basilashvili won just the one game when they met at the French Open last year. Let's hope it's a much tighter affair today. 

12:07

THIEM ON SONG

Just before we turn our full attention towards Rafael Nadal's fourth round encounter against Nikoloz Basilashvili I can tell you that Dominic Thiem has secured the first set 7-5 against Kevin Anderson. 

The Austrian made the all-important breakthrough at 5-5 before closing out the first set on serve. 

11:57

GOING WITH SERVE

10 games played over on Louis Armstrong Stadium and serve continues to dominate. Thiem was just taken to deuce but came through for the hold without the need of facing a break point. 5-5 as we near a first set tiebreak. 

11:40

LIVE ACTION 

It is going with serve in the early stages between Dominic Thiem and Kevin Anderson. Neither player has seen a break point come their way so far. 3-3 midway through the first set. 

11:38

LIVE ACTION

How about the action going on right now on Louis Armstrong Stadium I here you ask...

... Well, it is going with serve and neither Kevin Anderson or Dominic Thiem have seen a break point opportunity come their way. 3-3 in the early stages of the first set. 

11:35

ZVEREV GOES OUT 

Alexander Zverev saw his hopes of a maiden Grand Slam title ended in surprising fashion as he suffered a four set defeat against Philipp Kohlschreiber, who will now face Kei Nishikori in the last-16. 

Despite his standing towards the upper echelons of the game the German, who added Ivan Lendl to his coaching team before the event, is yet to make that next step on the major stage.   

11:20

KYRGIOS: FEDERER THE 'ULTIMATE ROLE MODEL'

During his post-match press conference following his defeat against Roger Federer, Kyrgios, who is yet to progress past the third round of a Grand Slam since reaching the Australian Open quarter-final in 2015, said he should follow the example set by his Swiss opponent. 

"I think we’re two very different characters," Kyrgios said. "I think, you know, just the way he goes about things. I could take a leaf out of his book.

"The way he behaves on court, you know, his demeanour, I could definitely take away. I don’t want to change myself too much, but I could definitely take away things he does in certain situations. He’s the ultimate role model to anyone who wants to play."

11:15

MORE SEEDS FALL IN THE WOMEN'S SINGLES 

There were defeats for former champion Angelique Kerber and two-time Grand Slam champion Petra Kvitova on Saturday, meaning defending champion Sloane Stephens is the sole remaining top-six seed in the women's draw. 

You can find a round up of yesterday's afternoon session which saw Kerber became the latest high-profile exit in New York HERE. 

11:10

SATURDAY RECAP

An intriguing day on Saturday saw a highly-anticipated third round meeting between Roger Federer and Nick Kyrgios.

Federer, targeting a first US Open title in a decade, eased past the challenge of the Australian in straight sets after withstanding an impressive start on serve from Kyrgios.

After running away with the second set in ruthless fashion against an increasingly frustrated opponent, Federer demonstrated his array of shot making, producing a remarkable forehand winner around the post on the run.

You can read how Federer reached the last-16 for the 17th successive time in New York HERE. 

11:03

FIRST FOCUS

As has been the case throughout the opening week, the Arthur Ashe Stadium schedule does not begin until 5pm our time so in the opening hour we will provide updates from the opening men's fourth round encounter between ninth seed Dominic Thiem and last year’s finalist Kevin Anderson, which is just about to get underway on the Louis Armstrong Stadium.

The big-serving South African, who also reached the Wimbledon showpiece in July, leads their head-to-head 6-1 but did lose their most recent meeting in Madrid earlier this year.

You can see the schedule for today’s singles action HERE. 

11:00

WELCOME ALONG

Hello. Middle Sunday marks the start of fourth round action at this year’s US Open at Flushing Meadows.

No fewer than four former US Open champions on the day’s schedule – two during the day session and two overnight.

Our focus this afternoon and into the early evening will be on defending champion Rafael Nadal against Georgia’s unseeded Nikoloz Basilashvili followed by six-time champion Serena Williams against Kaia Kanepi, who has already defeated world No 1 Simona Halep.

We’ll have it covered here so hopefully you will join us along the way.