Murray had collected two match points before I had put a full stop at the end of my last entry. Soeda knows his time is up. A clumsy drop shot into the net from the 29-year-old and Murray punches the air.

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A groan from Murray as he launches an ace down the middle and another booming serve, this time out wide, sees him progress to 40-15. Eleven aces so far in this match for Murray. The pair slug it out from the baseline and it's Soeda who comes out on top, sending Murray scampering towards a tramline which forces the Scot to respond with a desperate and wayward lob. It matters not one jot, though, as the fourth seed unleashes another ace upon Soeda to end the game.

Alistair Bruce-Ball
BBC Radio 5 live sports extra commentator

Tennis fans cooling down the tennis fans on a sizzling day at Melbourne Park.

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Ah. It seems Soeda's resistance was made of tissue paper. A backhand into the tape from the 29-year-old and Murray is 0-30 to the good. And the next point is as dazzling as the Melbourne sun. A flick of the wrist, a crosscourt backhand winner and Murray has three break points. All three chances are flittered away before a clumsy forehand from Soeda gives Murray a fourth break point. Murray wipes his perspiring brow, rocks back and forth on the baseline... Soeda is in his sights... and Japan's finest wilts, netting to put Murray on cruise control.

This is only Soeda's third appearance at the Australian Open so his inexperience on the big stage, combined with the heat and the quality of his opponent, perhaps helps explain why it has taken until the third set for him to put up some resistance. Murray was of course ruthless in the opening two sets and isn't giving Soeda a sniff on his own serve in the third set.

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BBC Tennis: From Rod Laver Arena to Hisense Arena, where Andy Murray is playing.

Soeda serving with confidence. Murray netting a return for a 40-0 Soeda lead, but a double fault sows the seeds of doubt... Will Murray rein him in? Nope. HawkEye shows a Murray forehand had bounced way long and Soeda is turning this third set into a contest, which is a good thing I guess. Possibly. Maybe.

Soeda attempts a drop shot but it's far too tame, dribbling to the net for 40-15. The 29-year-old then overcooks a return and Murray restores parity. I would say without much sweat, but that is not the case with both players sweating like racehorses.

Image source, AFP

Soeda playing like a man who has nothing to lose and a man who has nothing to lose is a very dangerous animal indeed. Murray going through one of his dips. He fails to kill off Soeda when he has the chance and the 29-year-old produces an impressive smash to go 40-0 ahead. But three unforced errors gives Murray a sniff. A break point comes Murray's way, but he wastes his opportunity and Soeda coolly comes through a testing period, finishing with an ace.

A monologue from Murray, the first time he has done so in this match, after a silly mistake for 15-15. Soeda then collects another point, but the Scot overcomes a sticky situation with a seventh ace of the match. Murray then sprints towards the net, crunching a forehand volley for 40-30 and, despite the early blip, he eventually holds.

Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Melbourne Park

"One advantage of playing in Hisense Arena is that the court is largely in shadow by this time, and there shouldn't be any sun at all on the playing area soon. It is still stiflingly hot though. Just to be clear."

It took Murray 26 minutes to bring the second set to its conclusion, three minutes longer than the first. Murray on song, stooping on the run to unleash a backhand winner down the line. It's master versus apprentice stuff and from 30-30 to deuce we go with Soeda unable to get escape Murray even after becoming more aggressive. He eventually wriggles free, though, to secure that all-important hold.

David Law
BBC Radio 5 live sports extra commentator

"Go Soeda is really out of his depth against a British player at the top of his game. This bodes well for Murray. Obviously there will be harder tests ahead but there's no sign of his back causing any problem whatsoever."

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A second serve ace from Murray brings up three set points and, much to the delight of a noisy section of the crowd, another ace finishes Soeda off.

Latest men's scores from day two in Melbourne

Men's results

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Women's first-round results

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Murray has not lost to a player ranked outside the top 100 since losing to number 118 Alex Bogomolov junior in 2011 in Miami. That record looks likely to continue as he collects three break points, hitting a clean winner against a wrong-footed Soeda to ease to within a game of the second set.

For Murray, collecting points on his own serve is as easy as picking petals off a flower. The 26-year-old Scot ups the ante, goes 40-0 ahead, and although Soeda nicks two points he never seems like breaking Murray. Soeda's return bounces beyond the baseline and Murray clenches his fist.

Soeda's second serve seems as useful as a pair of threadbare bloomers, with Murray's ploy of jumping in early, quickly putting his rival on the backfoot, working like a dream.

At 30-30, the man from Japan seems in trouble once again but a forehand down the line takes him to within a point of holding. Murray reins him in to deuce - but an ace followed by a forehand winner into the corner puts Soeda on the scoreboard for the first time in this set.

An ace down the middle takes Murray to 30-0. He then serves out wide, sending Soeda scampering to the right, and with his opponent wrong footed, he steps in to nonchalantly put away a forehand winner. The Wimbledon champion, now oozing confidence, comes up with another ace for another easy hold.

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

"Go Soeda doesn't really know what to do here. He doesn't want to be trading backhands across the court with Murray. Andy is dictating pretty much every point and looks very comfortable."

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Soeda's resistance crumbling like a freshly baked cookie as Murray collects the first two points. The pair trade blows from the baseline before Murray end the rally with a searing forehand winner into the corner. Two break points Murray. A whimper of a backhand into the net from Soeda and it's goodnight Josephine.