Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Roland Garros

"A lengthy Mexican Wave by the crowd is about the only thing capable of holding up Nadal in this mood, and they give themselves the biggest cheer of the afternoon when they decide to stop after several circuits if Chatrier. Another few seconds and Nadal might have just launched a massive forehand into the stands."

Rafael Nadal is on Court Philippe Chatrier in body only. His mind is so deep "in the zone" that only an earthquake hitting central Paris would disturb his tugging and twitching pre-point routine.

He holds to love with a crunching ace and not a flicker of emotion.

Aileen on the train, via text: Come on Andy! Remember what you did last year and go there again. We are all right behind you!

Sue, via text: Andy has checked out mentally. Don't think he ever believed he could win.

Josh, via text: I think Andy looks tired, busy week catching up with him I do not think heat is helping. Nadal plays better shots and Andy is getting tired quicker

Simon Briggs
Daily Telegraph tennis correspondent on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

"I think this game is pretty much done as a competitive experience. Technically at Roland Garros Andy Murray's game cannot match up to Nadal's."

You can listen to full commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

Image source, Getty Images

A backhand wide and double fault and, from 30-15 up, Andy Murray is break point down.

Rafael Nadal does not need those sort of leg-ups. He comes barrelling forward as Murray fails to catch a couple groundstrokes and hammers his smash into the dirt for the winner.

Murray looks like he is a passenger in this match and Nadal has driven the route to the French Open final plenty of times before.

Aled Gamble:, external Give Nadal an inch and he takes a mile. Give him nothing and he takes a mile anyway. Hang in there Andy...

Rachel Berry:, external Everything I've read is about how the French is Djokovic's to lose - have these people never heard of Rafa?

Paul B:, external Murray is a class act, but Nadal and Djokovic are a league ahead of anyone else in the world when in form - on any surface

Rafael Nadal holds to love in a twinkle. Still Murray looks like he is trying to pickaxe through concrete with a toothpick on return.

Judy Murray has got her mitts on one of the French Open panamas with a red hatband.

I'm not an expert in the headwear one-upmanship, but that is the one worn by most of Philippe Chatrier's grandest of fromages.

It isn't just the sonic boom of power as the ball comes off the Rafael Nadal racquet, it is the control and angles that he can generate.

It almost seems to lull Andy Murray into believing he has such powers on that wing.

The Scot pumps one into the net, but manages to get through the game intact as Nadal falls a little too deeply in love with his own forehand, running around to such a degree that he is in the court-side flower bed when Murray put away a winner into the opposite corner.

Image source, AFP

Nikky Ab:, external Absolutely ruthless from @Nadal the King of clay, sorry Murray you've got no chance

Tim Arstall:, external Not looking good for Murray here, Nadal is too imperious on clay and Murray is noticeably more error-prone than usual

Jarleth Eaton:, external On clay, Nadal is just simply majestic. It's beautiful to watch.

Mary Pierce
Former Australian and French Open champion on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

"It's going to be very very difficult to beat Rafael Nadal now. Rafa is in form, he is playing aggressive and playing well but for Andy I really need to see him doing something different because it just hasn't been good enough. It seems he is just trying to do the same thing but a bit better."

You can listen to full commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

Rafael Nadal feathers the accelerator, adding more revs to the forehand and Andy Murray is splattered all over the Spaniard's radiator grill.

A hold to love complete with trademark leaping, kicking groundstrokes wrap up the set and, barring the finest performance of his career, Murray's scalp is about to be added to the others that adorn Nadal's spiritual home.

Image source, AP

James in London, via text: As good a tournament as Andy Murray has had, he's up against someone who was lost ONE match at this tournament in NINE years - a record of 59-1. Truly the toughest ask to expect him to win through from his current position.

MP in Cornwall, via text: I never understand why opponents are so polite to Nadal. Serve when he's still fiddling with his pants and hair! "accidently" kick his bottle over ! Gotta do something!

Mary Pierce
Former Australian and French Open champion on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

"Andy Murray is in deep trouble. It's not looking good for Andy in this second set."

You can listen to full commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

If anything the momentum is going in the opposite direction and the gap between the two players is widening.

Andy Murray looks increasingly irritated by the heat, sun, his own form and life in general as errors crop up with increasing frequency.

Rafael Nadal pulls apart his game with the efficiency and ruthlessness of a professional dissection. Another break and the world number one is a game and a hold away.

Rafael Nadal scrubs out the marks left on the baseline with the toe of his shoe as the game comes to an end. He is doing something similar to Andy Murray. It is all very businesslike and you cannot see how Murray might force his way back in.

Mix more slice and droppers into the medley? Take the Spanish bull by the horns and start playing to the forehand as much as the backhand? Neither looks like it is going to either work or be enough...

Image source, Reuters

Mary Pierce
Former Australian and French Open champion on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

"It obviously makes Andy's life easier when he can get some more first serves in but he needs to come in to the net more, he can't expect to stay at the baseline and out-rally Rafa because he is just too good. Andy needs to play smart and not let Rafa know what he is going to do."

You can listen to full commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

Russell Fuller
BBC tennis correspondent on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

On Twitter:, external Murray can't make any impact at all on Nadal's serve & he's not the first to be making more errors than he can afford to against him.

Like his toes are nailed to the baseline. Andy Murray is reluctant to concede any ground, even at 40-0 up.

As a result, he gets all cramped up around a backhand and Nadal has a glint in his eye and sliver of a gap to push at.

Teak-tough defence from Rafa earn another point and the Spaniard is only a whisker away from taking it to deuce, sliding a forehand long at 40-30 down.

Murray is being hounded though every service game.

Andy Murray crunches away a fine backhand down the line on return at 30-0 down but he cannot build on it.

A return into the net is backed up by a ripped Rafael Nadal ace, all muscle and punch.

Murray will have to find something somewhere to get his teeth into but Nadal's game is a lean, mean being. There are not a lot of easy points to be sliced off it.