**James Blake vs. Novak Djokovic [3] (Arthur Ashe Stadium, first night match)
The first marquee evening match of the tournament could be a classic if both men play to their potential. Ranked outside the Top 100 for the first time since 2005, Blake has played well at Flushing Meadows after an uninspiring summer. He’s dropped just one set—and that was in a tiebreaker—in two matches. Djokovic, after escaping Viktor Troicki in the opening round, showed much better form against Philipp Petzschner. Both men should head into this match with confidence, which, as Blake showed at the 2005 Open against Rafael Nadal, can be a dangerous thing. But I don’t see another seismic third-round upset.
The Pick: Djokovic in four
Gael Monfils [17] vs. Janko Tipsarevic (Grandstand, first match)
Monfils returns to the Grandstand on Day 6 to face a player Andy Roddick fans know all too well. But Tipsarevic won’t get as many short balls against Monfils, who goes for it all, all the time. On a hot day against a steady opponent, I could see the Frenchman punching himself out. But the weather is supposed to be cooler on Saturday, and Tipsarevic will miss from time to time, even if his latest Roddick upset suggested otherwise.
The Pick: Monfils in four
Shuai Peng vs. Andrea Petkovic (Court 11, third match)
**
Lost in the opening week bustle is Petkovic’s third-round run. She beat Nadia Petrova in a third-set tiebreaker, then bested Bethanie Mattek-Sands 3-6, 6-3, 7-5. And after each win, Petkovic celebrated with a funky dance. Will we see another jig after her match with Shuai, who upset Agnieszka Radwanska in the second round? The fan in me says yes, but the analyst in me says no.
The Pick: Shuai in three
Ed McGrogan is an assistant editor for TENNIS.com. Follow him on Twitter.