Paris Masters quarter-finals: Andy Murray v Novak Djokovic
Defending champion Djokovic wins 7-5 6-2
World number one Djokovic leads head-to-head 15-8
Murray had won 20 of his last 22 matches
Image source, EPAA crushing inside-out forehand zips away for a cross-court winner to put Andy Murray 30-0 to the good.
Someone should tell the Parisians to set their video recorders. There is another hold-up for a punter filming the action on their phone complete with a blazing front light to pierce the Bercy gloom.
Murray takes it all in his stride, swallowing down the next two points, the last with a clumping ace.
No such dramas for Novak Djokovic who keeps on trucking on serve.
He has got some suspension. Whatever the ups, down, lumps and bumps in a match the Serb just soaks it all up and usually arrives at his desired destination.
Simon Briggs
Daily Telegraph tennis correspondent on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra
"Not enough first serves in from Murray in this set. No wind, no sun, so there's no excuse."
Image source, AFPAndy Murray uncorks a forehand that almost rips the fuzz off the back of the ball to move to 30-15. To whistle a winner clean past Novak Djokovic requires such clean ball-striking.
But the Scot is a little over-eager on the next rally, pulling the trigger when the ball was not quite there to be be hit. 30-30.
A Murray backhand crashlands just long to give Djokovic his first break point since the opening game. Murray rummages around and pulls out a kicking ace to put himself back level.
He has another break point to face though from deuce. Djokovic lands one right up on the baseline and it looks like the break is broken.
But, hold up a sec! Murray challenges Djokovic's final shot, HawkEye reveals it was long and Djokovic's claims that the Scot missed his immediate, instinctive backhand reply are dismissed.
Umpire Carlos Bernandes says that Murray was distracted by looking for where Djoko's ball landed and calls the players back on to court.
Murray rattles off the next two points and that has the feeling of a big moment in the match. Djokovic stony-faced.
Matthew Millar:, external I think that the back surgery is only now starting to help Murray's form. It obviously helped him in the last few tournaments.
Image source, AFPIs that a tie-break I can spy on the horizon? A lovely deft drop-volley from Andy Murray draws ohhs and ahhs and a little polite applause from Novak Djokovic.
But it doesn't buck the scoreboard trend.
On we go, still right on serve.
Novak Djokovic is doing his Great Wall impression as he fends from the far corners and eventually draws a mistake from Andy Murray.
30-30. Creaky nerves time.
Murray pulls out of his next serve, distracted by something in the crowd. There is a bit of unrest in the stalls about that. But Murray ignores the grumbling to fire down a timely ace.
Djokovic doesn't look best pleased with the Scot either, chuntering to himself as the balls swap ends.
A little bit of spice into the mix. Lovely.
Russell Fuller
BBC tennis correspondent on Radio 5 live sports extra
"Were he to lose tonight there's plenty of opportunity for Andy Murray to get back across the Channel to watch his mother Judy in Strictly Come Dancing, but it's probably not a priority at the moment for him with London coming up, and he could be busy with tennis to the end of the year."
Image source, PAI can't imagine anything would motivate Murray more to make the semi-finals.
After a slow start, Andy Murray is matching Novak Djokovic. The Serb's serve gets a thorough testing, with Murray winning a superb opening point as he runs down a speculative lob.
Djokovic makes it through unscathed, but the flak is flying.
Andy Murray is starting to find the sweet spot now. The ball bopping off the centre of the racquet, keeping Novak Djokovic on the back foot as he holds to 15.
A lot more comfortable that the Scot's opening service game. The only hold-up was for a brief pause while a spectator who was filming the action with his phone was publicly shamed into cutting short his movie by a combination of the big screen and umpire Carlos Bernardes.
Image source, AFPAndy Murray has nipped off court for a toilet break. I bet Judy wouldn't stand for that sort of thing back in his boyhood. Three games in? If it was a road-trip they would hardly be off the driveway. Djokovic has time to sup a leisurely drink though.
Simon Briggs
Daily Telegraph tennis correspondent on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra
"I remember previous Halloween nights at this tournament and Novak Djokovic coming out in a Darth Vader mask, but he didn't do anything like that today. I wonder if he's in more serious business mode playing one of his oldest and closest rivals."
Andy Murray is going to wear a hole in the side of his head with his index finger woodpeckering away at his temple in reaction to slipping 30-0 down.
Or maybe he has hit the reboot button.
The Scot belatedly gets his teeth into the game, forcing Novak Djokovic back to deuce.
It is just a warning shot across the Serb's bows though. No break.
Simon Briggs
Daily Telegraph tennis correspondent on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra
"Some serious mileage already in this match. They are covering a lot of ground - a lot more in the Federer v Raonic match where the serve was dominating. Murray will be relieved to get that game on the board but Novak will definitely feel he missed an opportunity there."
Image source, EPAIt is all very well slapping the ball about with the likes of Fabio Fognini and Jerzy Janowicz at the end of term, but this is very different gravy.
Novak Djokovic is a man with miles of running in his legs and venom in his strings and he takes the first two points off Andy Murray's serve, making it the first six in the match. 0-30.
Murray claws back to 30-30 as he rediscovers a little pop in his tee off but, drawn into a protracted rally with the great retriever, he coughs up a break point as he gets a little late on a forehand.
Murray looks up at his box. Coach Amelie Mauresmo is as impassive as an Easter Island head, but Murray finds what he is looking for, battering his way to deuce with naggingly consistent baseline depth.
Another break point rears its ugly head, Murray plucks an arcing ace out of the quiver to see it off.
The Scot finally hauls his serve over the line and safe, but that was a struggle.
Simon Briggs
Daily Telegraph tennis correspondent on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra
"After almost every point Murray is pointing to the side of his forehead and looking at his team. It's almost as if to say he's thinking too much between rallies. It's something he was doing in Valencia."
Russell Fuller
BBC tennis correspondent on Radio 5 live sports extra
"The court was rammed for Federer v Raonic but isn't quite as full at the moment. There's huge disappointment here that Federer was knocked out - the support was incredible for him, he's like an honorary Frenchman."
Novak Djokovic's son Stefan arrived on the scene just 10 days ago, but the Serb doesn't look like he has missed too much kip.
He holds serve to love in the first game, sneakers squeaking around the court as he hustles Murray into a couple of hurried strokes.
Sixty-five million dollars plus of career winnings probably is enough to get a bit of help in I guess.
Djoko to slug down the first serve of the match. Here we go....
Image source, Getty ImagesEarlier today on the big court, Canada's Milos Raonic kept his hopes of a spot at the World Tour Finals alive with a 7-6 7-5 win over Roger Federer, and Tomas Berdych wrapped up his place in London, by bouncing back from losing the first set to Kevin Anderson to win and secure his place in London.
Djokovic, Federer, Wawrinka, Murray, Berdych and Marin Cilic are the men already confirmed for the O2.