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Muller throwing his best punches, but at the other side of the net is a player who is richer than him, more successful than him and, well, better than him. At 0-30 down the world number 42 looks towards his camp, and raises his hands in despair. He does well to level at 30-30, but clumsily sends a backhand volley over the baseline to present Djokovic with a break point.

Muller won't escape from the traps again, surely? The Serb in control, pulling his opponent across the baseline, but comes unstuck with a clumsy forehand into the tramlines. But a second break point comes his way... and disappears as Muller hurls an ace down the T - his fourth of the match. Third break point - the Djokovic defence made of the toughest teak as Muller nets - and the man from Luxembourg eventually crumbles like a soufflé - drilling a backhand wide to allow Djokovic to serve for the set.

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Djokovic rattles off four points in quick succession for a hold to love, his most comfortable service game of the set.

Here we go. Cue the Jaws music. Der-dum-der-dum. Djokovic 0-30 up... A fine serve from Muller suggests there's hope against one of the sport's most lethal predators. The underdog then serves and volleys to 30-30... A netcord goes his way, Muller raises his arm in acknowledgement of his good fortune, and the 31-year-old, somehow, manages to scramble to shore when the odds were against him.

Muller has enough grit for guts to hold his own when serving but has he enough guile to break Djokovic? Evidence suggests not and it's likely he's going to have to hope for fortune to favour him in a tie-break if he is to win this set.

At 15-15, Djokovic's nostrils are flaring, his eyes are glistening. The Serb slides towards the net, trainers screeching, to present Muller with an irretrievable volley. But Muller is holding firm, advances to 40-30 before he comes unstuck with a serve towards Djokovic's backhand which the top seeds gobbles up. Deuce.

Brilliant. Sublime. Supernaturally good. A flick of the wrist and a Djokovic forehand flies by Muller, leaving the 31-year-old stranded in the middle of the court. Djokovic soaks up the crowd's applause. Break point. Two aces help Muller come through adversity, though, and he's absorbing whatever test comes his way.

Aidan Williams:, external Giles Muller is putting up a good fight against Djokovic. That man is not leaving this tournament without well deserved applause.

Djokovic stepping in on the opening point, crunching a forehand volley into the corner. Errors creeping into the four-time champion's game, however, but is even the slightest drop in intensity from Djokovic enough to give Muller a chance? At 15-15, the Serb balloons a forehand into the tramlines. Danger? 15-30 - but a thumping overhead comes to Djokovic's rescue. Questions being posed, but Djokovic answering them with aplomb - another overhead, this time from the baseline, ensures he holds.

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"Argh" groans Djokovic as he strains to return Muller's boomer down the middle, but the Serb's reply drifts beyond the baseline and the world number 42 is again untroubled on his own serve. To 40-15 we go, Djokovic screwing a forehand long, and Muller is going toe-to-toe, blow-for-blow with the top seed. But for how long?

Wizardry from both players... Djokovic lobbing Muller... the underdog sprinting towards the baseline to whack it back across the net... but Djokovic is the one calling the shots and the Serb proceeds to kill off his opponent with a colossal forehand. Another hold to 40. Someone, with Djokovic the likelier, needs to start turning the screw.

The serve and volley serving Muller well. The 31-year-old holding to love, which is pretty impressive against one of the greatest returners who has ever played the game.

Muller was languishing around the mid-300s in the rankings last January after missing the previous six months with an elbow injury, and although his comeback into the Top 50 - reaching a career-high ranking next week - has the makings of a Hollywood fairytale, adding a victory over the top seed at the Australian Open seems rather far fetched. There's been no chink in the Serb's armoury and it's another easy peasy hold for the top seed.

The camera goes in search of Muller's coach Jamie Delgado who is showing so little emotion it could be a cardboard cut-out of the Briton. But the Brummie must be quietly pleased at seeing his charge 40-0 up against one of the greats. Super retrieving from Djokovic for 40-15, the Serb lunging and twirling on the baseline to return what looked like the unterturnable but that is the only moment of brilliance from the world number one who must watch his opponent skip 1-0 ahead.

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Djokovic needed treatment during the changeover, with the trainer applying some iodine (perhaps?!) on the Serb's bleeding fingers. A tumble in the previous game wounding the favourite but, no matter, he grabs his racquet and proceeds to make his way towards the service line. Intelligent play from the Serb as he varies play to earn three set points - an ace, a boomer of an unreturnable serve, followed by the serve and volley. It's all a little too easy for the Serb.

Perhaps because the match is lacking suspense, a flock of birds appear above the Rod Laver Arena to add some Hitchcockian tension to the evening. The intrigued crowd look up, gasp a little before returning their attention on the match, where Muller is untroubled on his serve. A hold to 15 for the man from Luxembourg, forcing Djokovic to serve for the set.

What a year 2005 was for Gilles Muller. Having blown off the cobwebs on my copy of the bestselling Gilles Muller: The Complete History, I can tell you that the highest-ranked players the 31-year-old has beaten are Rafael Nadal, then world number three, at Wimbledon in 2005 and then world number three Andy Roddick at the US Open in the same year.

Those victories were nearly a decade ago, however, and the left-hander has not won against a Top 10 player at a Grand Slam since 2008. He's up against it here, Djokovic oozing confidence, stepping in from the baseline and overpowering his opponent for a hold to 30.

Ole! The crowd whistle in approval, Boris Becker applauds, as Djokovic, the master retriever, digs into his box of tricks. The four-time champion races across the baseline to fetch a Muller forehand and a canny lob is his riposte. Masterful, magical, mercurial. Djokovic with three break points at 0-40, wastes one but grabs his chance with Muller faltering on the baseline.

A puff of the cheeks from Muller as his backhand clips the tape and falls back on his side of the court. The crowd's oohs an indication of how close that was to creeping over to the Serb's side. Djokovic, though, proceeds to up the ante, sprinting towards the tape to whack an overhead beyond his opponent and he concludes a straightforward hold with a cool ace. As you were.

Djokovic, his t-shirt matching the cobalt blue court, fails to assert his authority in this game, with Muller racing to a 40-0 advantage. The top seed screws a forehand into the tramlines and that's the end of that. Muller ahead once more and the crowd left to second-guess when Djokovic will strike.

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Want a sure-fire, dead-certain safe bet when it comes to quarter-finals? Novak Djokovic is your man because the consistent Serb is bidding to reach the last eight of a Grand Slam for the 23rd consecutive time. For those of you wanting more information, he's third in the all-time list behind Roger Federer (36) and Jimmy Connors (27).

Impressive so far from Djokovic - feather-light touch for a peach of a drop shot takes him to 30-0. Muller nicks one point, but on the next his feet sink into concrete on the baseline and he swings wildly at a forehand. Djokovic in regal form.

Here's a stat for you: Djokovic has dropped 27 games in his first three rounds, while Muller has lost 50. You can do what you want with that bit of information. On the court, Muller is attempting to keep the rallies short, coming into the net frequently and the ploy helps him clean up and secure a comfortable hold.