Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Melbourne Park

"There's a real edge to this contest, with a huge Murray celebration followed by a Berdych staredown, and some choice words from the Briton after the Czech complained about the balls. Both men probably feel they've done enough to win the set already. Expect a world class display of fist pumping from whoever wins the tie-break."

Berdych with a tired-looking backhand into the net. Murray leads 6-5. Set point Murray. Berdych to serve.

A quick one-two from Murray, ending with a thumping winner down the line. We're level at 5-5.

Berdych sends Murray scampering, and beats the Scot with an overhead. Berdych leading 5-4, Murray to serve next.

Uh oh. The last thing you want at this stage is a double fault. Berdych double faults.... 4-4

A beefy forehand from Berdych leaves Murray floundering at the baseline. Berdych leads 4-3

Murray lets a scream of anguish as the ball pops out of a routine forehand return. A string pops out of his racquet too. All square 3-3.

Berdych with a booming ace to the wings. Murray leads 3-2.

Murray sees daylight. Berdych meekly slaps a forehand return into the tape. Murray leads 3-1.

Feather-soft touch at the net from Murray, volleying his way to the lead. 2-1 Murray. Berdych to serve next.

Murray to serve, he thunders one down before Berdych has the Briton scampering. Murray lunges to his left, pulling his forehand wide of the tramline. 1-1, Murray to serve next.

Berdych nets on the first serve... Super return from Murray on the second serve... A baseline slug-fest ensues and Murray wins the opening point with a fabulous backhand volley at the net. 1-0 Murray.

Two straightforward points for Murray on his own serve, which is refreshing. Oof! A peach of a backhand into the corner from Berdych as he reduces the arrears, but Murray still has a little cushion. The Scot serves out wide, steps in, hits loose and free from the middle of the court, leaving Berdych floundering. Is that a tie-break on the horizon? Erm. The Czech nicks another point - and another as simple errors trickle from Murray's racquet, the last one a mistimed backhand.

Berdych swaggering towards the tape... he has oodles of time... Murray is in a fix here, but Berdych messes up, botching a volley to let his opponent off the hook. Advantage. Back to deuce. Fortune favours the Scot as a netchord goes his way so we're back at advantage. Murray has decided the best route to a tie-break is via a tightrope, which isn't particularly wise, but to a tie-break we go.

Paul Thame:, external Re 09:34. Don't say there's a deflate-gate for the tennis now?

Pat Cash
1987 Wimbledon champion on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

"Andy Murray will be kicking himself. All of a sudden he got on top of Berdych in those rallies, Murray was making him feel nervous. But then he went for a couple of rash shots that let Berdych back in."

Image source, EPA

Where were we? Ah, yes, brilliant by Murray, forcing Berdych to slice into the net. Second break point Murray. Second break point gone, gone, gone. "What are you doing" asks Murray as the points slip by and Berdych gets out of jail. The Czech, by the way, was complaining about the compression of the balls and the umpire and an official are examining the fluffy yellow things while the players take a break during the changeover.

This is a public announcement before we get back to the tennis: had you missed Murray's dreamy crosscourt volley a few games ago, you can watch it on the 'highlights' page at the top of this page.

On the court, the two rivals are neck-a-neck at 30-30, but Berdych wipes out any potential of drama by winning at the net. The Czech has been particularly successful during his forays forward, losing just two points at the net. Did I say there was no drama? Hold on.

Murray, fleet of foot, is dashing around the court as if he's wearing rocket-propelled trainers and Berdych has probably noticed that the Scot has upped the tempo.

The Czech faltering. To deuce we go. And he can do little but direct a canny sliced shot from Murray towards the tape. Break point Murray. Berdych hauls the game back to deuce, there's some chit-chat between Berdych and the umpire about the tennis balls, before the game restarts... Stand by for more action.

Steve Huish, Surbiton, via text: Murray wins the fashion stakes for me. Berdych stuck in the eighties...he is so busted.

Image source, Getty Images

There's plenty of support around the Rod Laver Arena for Murray. Some spectators are vocal while others have, well, shown their passion through other eye-catching means...

Murray growls as a sloppy backhand allows Berdych to level at 30-30. Murray faltering on the backhand side with concerning regularity. The Scot going for it on the second serve, though... he slices it out to the wings and that's caught Berdych by surprise. The Scot sneaks ahead to 40-30 and cleans up as Berdych nets a forehand once more. Isn't this exciting.

Edward Poole:, external Murray has been nowhere near Berdych all set, he's been handed an absolute gem of a present in that game.