Fabio Fognini gives it the Rafael Nadal uppercut air punch as he lassoes a jaw-dropper of a forehand winner from well out wide to seal the first game of the third set.

It is not just his celebrations that resemble Nadal either today. He has been immense today. Worth a little punt for the French Open?

BBC Tennis on Twitter:, external Paddy representing the Stirling University Barmy Army. They're the ones singing "we're inside your head" at Fognini.

As gamesmanship goes, that tactic has backfired pretty badly so far.

Dominic Inglot
British doubles player on BBC TV

"Murray's getting tired. Fognini is not using as much energy. Now it's a little bit worrying."

If Andy Murray is going to win this one it will be right up there with the best wins of his career. He looks in dire need of one of those toilet-break monologues that spurred him to the US Open in 2012.

Fabio Fognini takes the second set with a break, sealed with a double fault and the crowd explode is delighted cheers.

James Ward, start warming up. It looks like your country needs you.

John Lloyd
Former British number one on BBC TV

"There's a football crowd in a tennis stadium."

Fabio Fognini's serve was an all-you-can-eat buffet yesterday. Today he is delivering second-serve ace to hold games to 15 against one of the game's best returners.

Murray needs something to stick in his spokes and soon because the Italian is motoring.

Image source, Getty Images

RS on Twitter:, external Murray getting a right working over by Fognini. There's no way back for Murray if he goes down 2-0 in sets.

Chris Barnes on Twitter:, external Admiration for Fognini grows after every shot he hits.

Neil McGowan on Twitter:, external Would love to see these Italians playing on grass, at least our crowd would understand etiquette.

Fabio Fognini is single-handed reviving the drop-shot. It is harvesting plenty of points for the Italian and is very difficult to read off his racquet given the short back-lift on his regular strokes. He moves to 0-30 and Murray is under the microscope once again.

Murray shows signs that he is coming up with the antidote to Fognini's game though. Stepping in behind an improved serve, taking the ball early and directing plenty of traffic towards the Fognini backhand does the trick, taking the game to deuce.

Fognini is not going anywhere though. Sticking in rallies, defending for his life and asking Murray to always play one more shot draws two errors from the Scot to give him the break.

Don't give up hope just yet though. There is plenty more life in this set yet I reckon.

BBC Radio 5 live

Neil Harman, tennis correspondent for The Times newspaper, in Naples tells BBC Radio 5 live: Murray had a Fognini-like conversation with Leon Smith in that game in that he was waving his arms around. He can't let Fognini know he is getting upset."

Image source, Getty Images

Andy Murray goes hunting the whitewash at 15-30 as his deep returns start to cause Fabio Fognini some problems. The Italian screws a forehand between the tramlines and it is 30-40 and break point to Murray. This will be massive if he can reel it in.

He can't. A forehand into the net from the Scot is followed by a big serve to move his opponent to advantage. Murray isn't letting this lie.

A whipped cross-court forehand and a backhand down the line from Murray twice bring the game back to deuce.

Fognini is starting to feel the heat and clumps long to offer another break point. Murray can't convert that one either and Fognini bravely and successfully dusts off the drop-shot to see off the danger.

Is that tide starting to turn Andy Murray's way? Or is that just wishful thinking? He holds to love as Fabio Fognini fails to match his delicate half-volleyed pick-up.

Relentless Euro-pop as the players settle into their seats for the changeover. A Beethoven symphony always seems like a more suitable musical accompaniment to a nice sit-down and short glass of barley water.

John Lloyd
Former British number one on BBC Radio 5 live

"I've been a bit disappointed with Murray's serve. It might have something to do with him being tired. I still think Murray will win, but I am concerned about the physicality if it goes long. I'm worried yesterday might have taken it out of him."

Fabio Fognini shows his forehand can be feather duster as well as cudgel as he slides over another perfectly weighted drop-shot to win the first point.

He can't keep performing at this level we have been told. Well, there is no sign of Fognini's performance level dipping yet. A hold to love and he is chomping at the bit for another crack at the Murray serve.

BBC Radio 5 live

Neil Harman, tennis correspondent for The Times newspaper in Naples: "This is a particularly inspired Fognini. All those anticipating Andy Murray's world ranking and experience would win the day have overlooked the fact that Fognini is having his best ever year on clay. He is a prodigious talent and has been displaying that on this court this morning. He has been more than a match for Murray. It's going to take all of Murray's durability to get back into this match."

BBC Sport's David Law, external in Naples: Not a seat to be had. This is the view the British fans have. So loud when Fognini wins points.

Even 40-0 is not safe for Andy Murray. Previous incarnations of Fabio Fognini in this tie would have given up the game as lost, but not today's version. A sliding winner from somewhere near the front row gives him hope and the home fans fuel it, bellowing encouragement. Deuce.

Murray moves to advantage, but is a whisker wide with a forehand that requires umpire Pascal Maria's authentication out of the chair. Fognini misses one break point with a forehand just wide, but a caressed little drop-shot gives him a second.

Murray is teetering, but remains untoppled as he moves Fognini left and right and out of range. Pure grit and street-smarts enable him to hold and captain Leon Smith is a relieved man as he welcomes him back to the chair at the changeover.

John Lloyd
Former British number one on BBC TV

"Great Britain captain Leon Smith will be telling Andy to hang in. He'll have told him 'Fognini played out of his mind, we know he has these spurts but he won't keep it up'. 'Hang in there mentally. This man will go if you keep it up'."

Russell Fuller
BBC tennis correspondent, courtside in Naples

"This is tough and hostile. Murray can come back, no doubt about it. But Fognini is a very good clay court player. In many ways this would be Murray's greatest triumph on this surface, if his wins."

Fabio Fognini wastes no time rattling though his own service game to turn the spotlight back on Murray. The home crowd are stage whispering in surprise and expectation every time the Briton misses with his tee-off.

Fabio Fognini suddenly ups the pace mid-rally with a roundhouse forehand out of nowhere which lands for 30-30. This is suddenly looking like a massive point even so early in the second set.

Murray is almost undone by a ball that stays low and shoots at him off the baseline, but hangs in the rally and Fognini seems distracted by the extended groan that came from the other end.

A gutsy hold.