The second week of Wimbledon kicked off with Manic Monday, one of the busiest days on the tennis calendar. Here’s how the day unfolded.

Wimbledon’s decision not to play the middle Sunday is what makes for a ‘Manic Monday’, with 16 fourth-round singles matches in total to get through. There were seven Grand Slam champions in the mix, youngsters hoping to break through, and Tour regulars hoping to head into unchartered territory. It promised to be an enthralling day.

With Roger Federer not kicking off Centre Court proceedings until 1pm, there was time to take in play on the outside courts from 11.30am. Karolina Pliskova was out on Court 2 against Kiki Bertens, while last year’s French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko and the dangerous Dominika Cibulkova were also up early doors.

The biggest draw of the morning was Pliskova, who at No 7 was the highest remaining seed in the women’s singles. The Czech came into her match as the sole top-10 representative, but soon found herself down a set after an erratic showing against Bertens.

By the time the first ball was tossed between Federer and Adrian Mannarino, Ostapenko and Cibulkova had already booked their quarter-final spots, with Camila Giorgi quickly following suit.

And while Federer whizzed through the first set in a mere 16 minutes, news of Pliskova’s defeat filtered through; 6-3 7-6 to Bertens, who put the final nail in the top-10 coffin, with none making the quarter-finals for the first time ever in the Open era. Advantage Serena, who was up next on Centre after Federer.

You could have forgiven the Centre crowd for believing they were set for a 2pm lunch given how the first Federer set went, but Mannarino proved a worthy competitor in the second, only succumbing to the Swiss in the 12th game.

Federer went on to save three break points in the third, with one break of his own enough to see off the challenge of Mannarino. Not quite a non-contest, but it was all too easy for the 36-year-old, who is now three matches away from claiming a ninth Wimbledon title.

After the first men’s match came to its completion, so too the sixth of eight women’s matches, with 2016 finalist Angelique Kerber beating Belinda Bencic in straight sets, some 20 minutes after 13th seed Julia Goerges did likewise against Donna Vekic.

It had just gone 3pm when Serena Williams waltzed onto Centre along with Evgeniya Rodina, and it quickly became the case that her encounter was the final women’s match to be played, with Daria Kasatkina edging a three-set battle (the first of the afternoon) against Alison Van Uytvanck.

There were four men’s matches going on in the meantime, though that soon whittled down to three after Milos Raonic joined Federer in the last eight.

And it took Serena a mere 62 minutes to send Rodina packing. A 13th Wimbledon quarter-final awaits the American, who is looking simply supreme while the seeds are tumbling around her.

The conclusion of all eight women’s matches meant the focus switched solely to the men’s. Rafael Nadal took to Centre for his clash against Jiri Vesely shortly after 4.30pm, while around SW19 there were tie-breaks aplenty.

Kevin Anderson took a 2-0 lead on Court One against Gael Monfils after two 7-6 sets, while Kei Nishikori v Ernests Gulbis and John Isner v Stefanos Tsitsipas headed to third-set tie-breaks.

Isner prevailed in his to seal a straight-sets victory, while Nishikori crucially won his to move 2-1 in front. It proved to be the straw which broke the camel’s back, too, with the No 24 seed dispatching Gulbis thanks to a 6-1 fourth set.

As the evening drew in, there were four matches still to be settled. As of 6pm, Nadal had taken a 2-0 lead over Vesely, Anderson was 2-1 up against Monfils, while Juan Martin del Potro had just started against Gilles Simon. The only match not under way was Novak Djokovic’s against Karen Khachanov, which was to follow Anderson’s on Court One.

Was it too good to be true that all 16 singles matches would be wrapped up before the light faded? Djokovic’s match looked to be one hitch, for all the Serb could do was wait for Anderson’s match to come to its conclusion, while Del Potro’s proved to be another.

Fortunately, some time after Nadal dismissed Vesely in straight sets, a fourth-set tie-break went Anderon’s way, allowing Djokovic’s match to start at 7pm, which in turn increased his and Khachanov’s chances of a Monday evening finish.

But to avoid playing on Tuesday, the three-time winner still needed to see off (or lose) to his Russian opponent in roughly two hours. Djokovic was motoring along nicely, but over on Court 2 there was no chance of finishing after Del Potro dropped the third set against Simon. Bad light stopped play at 8.46pm with the Argentine 2-1 up.

And then there was one. Could Djokovic beat Khachanov before it got too dark? He failed to convert a first match point shortly after Del Potro’s game was suspended, while he squandered a second a minute later. Come 8.49pm, a third match point, and by 8.50pm it was done. Third time lucky for Djokovic, who will await the winner of Del Potro and Simon.

Not the most maniacal of Mondays in the end, but still a treat for 41,144 tennis fans who descended on Wimbledon. Up next, the women’s quarters – a day set to be far less chaotic.