Serena, struggling with a cold and barking cough, knows she must win quick. And the big-serving American certainly means business. Two aces whizz past Sharapova in the blink of an eye, before Williams wraps up a comfortable hold with another booming forehand pass.

Image source, Reuters

As you were. That break in the previous game jolts Williams back into life, and she jumps on to the Sharapova serve to win three set points.

She needs just the one with a backhand winner. "Come on!!!!" screams the 33-year-old. I think she enjoyed that.

Hannah Shepherd:, external Really hope to see Sharapova holding the trophy after this game. She can break that record.

Travis:, external Sharapova should throw in a deep slice every now and then as well as a drop shot, would put Serena off balance.

MariaThierryHenry:, external Serena Williams doesn't look too well at all. I just hope she finishes this match.

Kristine Kirby:, external If I was Serena's cold, I'd be scared of her, never mind Maria. She has that look on today, and the precision play is sublime.

Ooooh, a glimmer of hope for Sharapova. Williams double faults on the first point, which sets the tone for the next couple. A loose forehand is followed by poor footwork as a backhand goes wide.

Three break points for Sharapova. A booming Serena ace wipes out the first, then the American claws back another. But another double faults hands over the break.

And remarkable resistance means Serena Williams now serves for the first set...

Image source, EPA

This is remarkable. Serena looks to the heavens after the last game, blowing her cheeks out hard. But then she wins the first two points to move 30-0 ahead. Sharapova double faults to hand over three break points and Serena takes the first as a forehand from the Russian goes long.

That is six straight points for Serena since she looked as though she was going to throw up...

Did we say Serena Williams appears to be struggling with illness? Not judging by her tennis. After that enforced break, she hammers down an ace to move 40-30 ahead, before wrapping up the game with another powerful backhand for the winner. Sharapova was the one who barely moved.

Here she is! Thankfully Serena does return again and she is about to serve as the match resumes at 30-30....

Image source, AP

Serena Williams returns from the locker room, white towel draped over her shoulders, barking out a cough like a South Yorkshire coalminer after a gruelling shift down t'pit. The American looks peaky. She decides to dash back into the locker room, hopefully she will reappear again...

Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Melbourne Park

"We had a brief period of drizzle earlier, scaring the locals who rarely see water falling from the sky in January and catching out foolish foreign visitors who insist on wearing shorts every day.

"The roof is being whipped across and Williams has legged it, now stalking the corridors with a towel around her shoulders and continuing to look less than happy.

"Sharapova remains steadfastly in her chair as all around her towel the court. "It's about the most annoying rain you can get," says the court announcer, who has clearly not spent much time in Salford.

Williams decides to head back to the locker room, while Sharapova sits patiently in her seat for the dark clouds to disappear. Several of the towel-holding youngsters are perched around the Russian's feet, mopping up the water.

Image source, BBC Tennis

"Anyone under 18 should be made to do this physical work!" jokes BBC commentator Andrew Castle.

John Lloyd
1977 Australian Open runner-up on BBC Two

"It's great when you have the roof but it is an outdoor tournament and if you can, you're supposed to play in outdoor conditions. Rain was predicted so it was a gamble and it has backfired a bit. But we should start the match as an open-air tournament."

Image source, AP

Both players saunter off court, back to their seats, as someone somewhere inside the Rod Laver Arena presses the 'close roof' button.

The stadium announcer says the match will restart once the roof is fully shut - probably in a few minutes' time. In the meantime, an army of ball-boys and ball-girls, each equipped with a towel, furiously wipe water off the court. Technology? Pah.

Sharapova goes 30-15 ahead with a raking forehand winner that she somehow digs out from the back of the baseline. The Russian follows that point with a steely glare across the net at her rival.

Williams levels at 30-30 before the umpire clambers off her stool. Why? The heavens have opened. Play suspended.

Andrew Castle
BBC tennis commentator on BBC Two

"There are 15,000 people in the Rod Laver Arena and they want to see a match. For that to happen we know that Maria Sharapova has to play superbly.

"But she has already saved match points in this tournament and that's a big deal, as it gives you a sense of invincibility."

The Russian moves within sight of the game at 40-15, before bringing out another drop shot which has Williams scampering forward to meet. She does that, Sharapova goes for the lob, which is agonisingly out of Serena's reach. Another Sharapova hold - now can she gets the break back?

Joel Newnham:, external With so many different names in slam finals in recent years so good to see a rivalry again, women's tennis needs this.

Andrew Lavoipierre:, external Sharapova must vary her game she cannot win by trying to trade blows and out hit Serena.

Peter Siegert:, external It's hard not to feel sorry for Maria Sharapova and we're only four games into the first set.

Image source, AP

A long rally ends when a rare dropshot from Sharapova leaves Williams stretching and skidding towards the net - which she then finds with a volley.

But Serena fights back with a wonderful second serve and a thunderous ace to move 30-15 ahead. The American doesn't look 100% though - coughing and spluttering, breathing heavily, and shaking her head after each point.

Williams goes out wide with a another unreachable serve and then blasts down another, which Sharapova does not have the strength to put back over the net.

Andrew Castle
BBC tennis commentator on BBC Two

"This is wonderful stuff from Serena Williams. It is as clean hitting as you will ever see. She is totally fired up."

"Must hold serve. Must hold serve." That is the message I'd imagine is running through Sharapova's mind. And the Russian does exactly that. Serena returns serve after serve, but Sharapova matches her stroke for stroke, sending down a fierce cross-court forehand winner for the game. Relief.