Day 6 of the US Open men’s draw brought a mix of dominant wins, high drama, and an unfortunate retirement that shifted the balance of the draw.
French veteran Adrian Mannarino advanced to the next round after a grueling clash with 6th seed Ben Shelton, who was forced to retire at the start of the fifth set. The match had been a rollercoaster, with Shelton’s booming serve and explosive forehand giving him an early edge. Mannarino, however, used his trademark consistency and guile to stay in contention. With the score tied deep into the decider after sets of 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, Shelton retired, handing Mannarino passage into the last 16.
Meanwhile, 2nd seed Carlos Alcaraz looked every bit the title favorite as he dismantled Italy’s Luciano Darderi in straight sets. The Spaniard’s aggressive baseline play and exquisite shot-making left no room for error, as he stormed to a commanding 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 victory in just under two hours. Alcaraz’s performance reinforced his status as the man to beat at Flushing Meadows.
The biggest drama of the day came in Daniel Altmaier’s five-set upset over 26th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas. The German played bold, attacking tennis and capitalized on key moments to edge out the Greek in a thriller. After the match there was a heated exchange at the net, with Tsitsipas unhappy because of an underarm serve. Despite the tension, Altmaier held his nerve to complete a famous victory and book his spot in the next round.
Day 6 reminded fans why the US Open is renowned for its unpredictability—combining resilience, dominance, and a dash of controversy under the New York lights.
