Hello and welcome to LIVE updates of the first match on court at Arthur Ashe stadium on Day 7 at the 2021 US Open as No.12 seed Simona Halep takes on No.5 seed Elina Svitolina. With defending champion Naomi Osaka and world No.1 Ash Barty both out, the path could be open for one of these players to triumph at Flushing Meadows. They are just arriving on court and ready to rumble.

GAME, SET AND MATCH! – SVITOLINA 6-3 6-3 HALEP. The Olympic bronze medallist breaks on her third match point to claim a dominant victory in just one hour and 16 minutes. The topsy-turvy tussle we were hoping for did not quite ensue as Halep appeared to lack the mobility that has been a core element of her game over the years. The Romanian landed a second ace to help her on her way to saving two MPs but couldn’t deny Svitolina on the third. The Ukrainian No.5 seed will now meet Angie Kerber or Leylah Fernandez in the last eight.

SVITOLINA 6-3 5-3 HALEP. The Ukrainian No.5 seed moves to within a game of victory. She lands a fifth ace of the match and another big serve for good measure. She’s been as steady as a rock out there while Halep has gone through the motions and looked decidedly unhappy throughout.

BREAK! – SVITOLINA 6-3 4-3 HALEP. When you have two resilient counter punchers you can expect to see some hard-hitting baseline rallies. They don’t disappoint here with both players stepping up the venom on their groundstrokes. Halep saves two break points but Elina continues to press and this time her roar of delight has more raw emotion attached to it. The Ukrainian swings the pendulum her way – how will Simona respond now?

SVITOLINA 6-3 3-3 HALEP. At times Halep is battling both herself and Svitolina at the same time. She miscues and can’t deal with the beastly forehand that follows, leading to another bounce of her racket. She then tanks a backhand into the net and gestures to herself in irritation. It’s just what Svitolina wants to sees as she completes a hold to 15 to halt what was looking like a potential Halep purple patch.

SVITOLINA 6-3 2-3 HALEP. Simona’s feeling good right now. She motors through a quick-fire hold to edge herself in front on the board. She was in danger of letting the match run away from her, but is now firmly involved in the battle.

BREAK! – SVITOLINA 6-3 2-2 HALEP. Wow! Halep scampers from right to left to charge way off court and produce a sublime angle on a crosscourt pass to snatch the break back! Svitolina had looked in charge at 40-15 but miscued badly off the forehand for deuce and offered up the opening with an untimely first double fault of the match.

BREAK! – SVITOLINA 6-3 2-1 HALEP. Ouch. A first double fault of the match from Halep coughs up two break points. She saves it with a trademark backhand up the line but leaves herself too much to do with the second. The No.5 seed hits the front. She’s fired 11 winners to 10 unforced errors while Simona’s reads 12 to 18.

SVITOLINA 6-3 1-1 HALEP. ‘Come on!’ is the shout from Elina who had been pretty quiet up until this moment. She’s been the more consistent player so far and is clearly keen to keep up the positive energy to avoid letting the Romanian to turn the tables in a match-up that has been known to involve some twists and turns.

SVITOLINA 6-3 0-1 HALEP. A fifth forehand winner of the match is followed by a typically brilliant backhand up the line to dig Simona out of a hole from break point down. Svitolina had threatened the early breakthrough with a sensational wrong-footing forehand of her own.

SET! – SVITOLINA 6-3 HALEP. That fell away fast for Halep. After securing the early break she folds in rather disappointing fashion. Svitolina turns to Monfils and co and raises her fist in triumph as a weak return wide from her opponent sees her claim the opener in 34 minutes.

BREAK! – SVITOLINA 5-3 HALEP. That won’t improve Halep’s mood either. Svitolina cranks up the heat with a short, angled volley to snare double break point. The Romanian saves one with wide serve but then rushes a backhand and the unforced error means Elina will now serve for the set.

SVITOLINA 4-3 HALEP. Simona lets out an agitated groan and hurls her racket to the floor in disappointment. She had her chances there but flashed a backhand into the tramlines to allow the Ukrainian to sneak a nervy hold.

SVITOLINA 3-3 HALEP. That was quick! Halep follows suit with a highly impressive service game that she concludes to love with what looks like an almost effortless ace. This is as finely poised as most pundits were expecting.

SVITOLINA 3-2 HALEP. Elina halts the run of breaks with an emphatic hold to 15 that she concludes with a sweeping forehand winner.

BREAK! - SVITOLINA 2-2 HALEP. That’s a fine response! Svitolina shrugs off dropping serve and immediately sets about probing the Halep delivery. She enjoys plenty of joy on the return and breaks on the first of two opportunities when Simona can only slap an attempt up the line into the net.

BREAK! – SVITOLINA 1-2 HALEP. First blood to Halep! The two-time Grand Slam champion steps up to the plate when Svitolina blows a drive volley forehand long after doing all the right things on the approach at 30-15. The Romanian settles in on break point and rifles a blistering backhand winner down the line to make an early breakthrough in style.

SVITOLINA 1-1 HALEP. If that game is a taster for what’s to come we may be in for a treat. It’s a real tussle as soon as Halep begins to launch a comeback from 0-30. The Romanian wins a 33-shot rally to level but can’t get it done from there and is made to work hard to pull off the hold from deuce.