Summary

  • Sharapova beats Mattek-Sands 6-3 6-4

  • Nadal through after injured Tomic retires

  • Murray beat Soeda 6-1 6-1 6-3

  • Temperature reached 42C in Melbourne

  • Players concerned about extreme heat

  • * Denotes next server

Live Reporting

Aimee Lewis

  1. Murray on the heat

    Andy Murray has entered the interview room and the first question he must answer is about the weather.

    "You're obviously a bit nervous and apprehensive about it," he says. "For a number of reasons for me, I was nervous because this, for me, was a big test playing in these conditions. Obviously, when the shadow came across the court it cooled down a bit but the air is extremely warm. It's not the easiest conditions I've played in. If you were playing on the outside courts in the sun, that would have been worse.

    "Most of the players are conditioned well enough to last in that weather for that amount of time but doing it to three or four hours is tough to recover from."

  2. Piers Newbery
    BBC Sport at Melbourne Park

    "Andy Murray will play Vincent Millot in round two after the Frenchman beat fellow qualifier Wayne Odesnik of the US over five sets in the outer reaches of Melbourne Park, on Court 22.

    "It was the 5ft 8in left-hander's first ever win in a Grand Slam main draw at the age of 27. Amid all the talk of extreme heat today, Murray's draw has opened up a little with the defeat of 13th seed John Isner, a potential last-16 opponent."

  3. The weather has affected some more than others. Canada's Frank Dancevic required medical attention after fainting during his match against Benoit Paire, and former Australian Open champion Martina Navratilova tweeted: "No doubt to me that today it is too hot to play."

    A sanguine Jelena Jankovic revealed on Tennis Breakfast that she burnt her bottom and the back of her legs during one changeover, but admits "it's always fun when you win". The Serb beat Doi 6-1 6-2 to progress

    Australian OpenGetty Images

  4. There is time for thermometer to still surpass the peak of 2009 because this heatwave is set continue until Friday. Should the players be expected to play under such conditions or should tournament referee Wayne McKewen have suspended play?

    You can tweet us your thoughts using the hashtag #bbctennis

  5. Piers Newbery
    BBC Sport at Melbourne Park

    "The public address system in the media centre has just boomed that today's temperature hit a peak of 42.2C at 5.45pm - so some way short of the record 45.5C of 2009. Still, there always tomorrow. Or Thursday. Or Friday."

  6. It will be another 40 to 50 minutes before Rafael Nadal and Bernard Tomic enter the arena, mainly because spectators have to filter out of the Rod Laver Arena to make way for those with tickets for the evening session.

    So, now is the time to make sure you have enough supplies to see you through what promises to be the finest first-round match of the tournament.

  7. Andreas SeppiGetty Images

    "It was a tough match," admits Andreas Seppi after his four-hour humdinger with Lleyton Hewitt. "I don't know how I managed to play two more hours, but against Lleyton you have to do this because he's such a great fighter."

  8. GAME, SET AND MATCH

    Lleyton Hewitt's fuel gauge is empty and Andreas Seppi has three match points. The Italian brings an epic contest to an end with a forehand winner. Seppi celebrates wildly, mustering some energy from somewhere to punch the air and scream wildly after his 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 5-7 5-7 7-5 win.

  9. There are other matches to talk about and Juan Martin Del Potro is another member of the top five to progress to the second round, the Argentine getting the better of American Rhyne Williams 6-7 (1-7) 6-3 6-4 6-4.

  10. Seppi breaks Hewitt

    And that is the end for 32-year-old Lleyton Hewitt? His legs have turned to guacamole as Andreas Seppi breaks the Australian for a chance to serve for the match at 6-5.

  11. Hewitt misses match point

    It's raucous on Rod Laver where Lleyton Hewitt has squandered a match point and Andreas Seppi pulls through with two aces to take the match to 5-5. Which player will fall to his knees first?

    Listen to commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra (UK only)

  12. Tomas Berdych gets the day under way on Hisense Arena against Kenny De Schepper and that match will be followed by David Ferrer versus Adrian Mannarino.

    Stanislas Wawrinka will take on Alejandro Falla on Margaret Court at about 0800 GMT, while Richard Gasquet is first on Court Two against Nikolay Davydenko.

  13. Wednesday's schedule of play

    Wednesday's schedule of play has been published and Li Na, Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic are all in action on Rod Laver. Here is how the day will unfold on the big daddy of the showcourts:

    Li Na v Belinda Bencic

    Serena Williams v Vesna Dolonc

    Leonardo Mayer v Novak Djokovic

    Samantha Stosur v Tsvetna Pironkova (Not before 0800 GMT)

    Matthew Ebden v Vasek Pospisil

  15. GET INVOLVED

    Josh Hardy: A Brit winning a match in Australia?! It's like Christmas has come again!

  16. Dominic Inglot
    British doubles player on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

    "It was nice to see Andy ending his last service game with an ace. It's something that would have taken a lot out of the back but the fact he's hitting those so well is a good sign."

    Listen to commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra (UK only)

  17. Piers Newbery
    BBC Sport at Melbourne Park

    "That has to go down as pretty much the ideal way for Murray to start, bearing in mind it was only his third competitive match since the US Open. He moved superbly for a man who had back surgery relatively recently and a tally of 12 aces, 32 winners and 13 unforced errors will do nicely. It remains very warm and even after just 87 minutes of action, there a quite a few people struggling to peel themselves off the plastic seating on Hisense Arena. You might have to send help."

  18. "I was training over in Miami for five weeks to get ready for this but you can't prepare yourself for this," says Murray when asked about the stifling conditions.

    "The air is so hot. There are a lot of players struggling, but I'm happy to get it over with quickly.

    "This is a tournament I've come close at a few times so I'm more confident than I was a few years ago, but I'm lacking match practice. I'm desperate to try to win here. I've had a lot of near misses and played some of the best tennis of my career here."

  19. Murray reaction

    "It's so hot today," says Murray with beads of sweat dripping from his chin. "It was my first Grand Slam since my back surgery so I was taking nothing for granted and I'm really happy to win in straight sets.

    "Hopefully I wake up tomorrow and there's no after effects. It's been a good start for me and hopefully I can keep going."

  20. Dominic Inglot
    British doubles player on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

    "He's come through unscathed, got what he wants out of this game and overall was pretty impressive. He was not at his most clinical because it's his first match and he's trying to find his form, but it's job done and in a way I'm sure he'll be happy about."