Chance for Watson to nab a mini-break now - but Babos holds firm to maintain parity...

Leon Smith
Great Britain Davis Cup captain

"Massive point there to ensure she changed ends on level terms. She made Babos move, used her court craft and a 22-shot rally went her way.Get babos running, moving and as tired as possible."

Babos's mini-break?! Gone. Watson challenges the Hungarian to a duel down the middle - and Babos caves in first. She goes long to end a 22-shot rally and Watson wipes out that advantage.

Watson goes on the attack, thumping down a serve which Babos somehow returns. The Hungarian can't deal with another howitzer of a ball though as Watson edges ahead.

But she can't win the next point as Babos nicks the mini-break.

Image source, Getty Images

Watson holds her serve in the first point of this first set tie-break, but goes wide and then long as Babos moves 2-1 ahead...

David Law
Radio 5 live sports extra commentator

"What's happened there? Has Pete Sampras come on the court to serve?"

Watson is trying to expose Babos' movement and does that beautifully by scampering outside the tramlines to send back a ball that the Hungarian can only return long. 

The Briton forces another error from Babos - and she has a set point!

But then it disappears as quickly as appeared. Barely believable stuff from Babos who hammers down two aces - one out wide and another down the middle - to save the hold.

Tie-break time....

Timea Babos is wearing a steely glare as she tosses the ball for this crucial game. The Hungarian looks composed as she moves 30-0 ahead, but then clams up as the finishing line moves into view.

Watson claws her way back into the game, forcing Babos into a desperate drop-shot from the baseline. Silly. That loops up into the net and moves the game into deuce...

Leon Smith
Great Britain Davis Cup captain

"Good serving from Watson. It got her out of trouble in her previous service game but there she used it as a weapon and put the pressure right back on Babos."

Textbook service game from Watson. Babos is smashing the ball as though she is picturing the face of a sworn enemy coming towards her, lashing into the net as the Briton holds to love.

A break of serve would be extremely timely for Watson now...

Maria Sharapova and Eugenie Bouchard are in a race to win their matches. They have both won their opening sets but Sharapova is ahead in the second set.

Sharapova leads Nao Hibino of Japan 6-1 2-0 while Bouchard is 6-1 1-1 up on Serbia's Aleksandra Krunic.

When technology fails...

Heather Watson wants to challenge a Timea Babos return at 40-30 which she thinks did not land inside the court.

But Hawkeye appears to have malfunctioned. Perhaps it has overheated in the Melbourne sun. Watto can't challenge and the original call stands. Babos holds...

Image source, Reuters

Heather Watson appears to have momentum back...but then slams into the net to hand Timea Babos a third break point of the game.

What hand can Watson play now?! A pair of aces! Jackpot. The British number two batters a serve past the Hungarian and, after Babos cannot return cleanly with a forehand, smashes down another ace that dusts the whitewash on the T.

*denotes next serve

Heather Watson manages to save one break point as she forces Timea Babos into an unforced backhand error. 

Can the Briton save another? Yes she can! The pair slug it out over a 23-shot rally, Watson eventually forcing Babos to blink first. Deuce...

Uh oh. Heather Watson is in a spot of bother. Timea Babos, after holding her serve to love, has two break points...

"When does Roger Federer ever look anything other than in fine fettle?" muses David Law, our man on the 5 live Sports Extra mic.

David is eulogising about the great man because he has just rattled through his opening set at this year's Aussie Open.

Georgia's Nikoloz Basilashvili surrenders the opener after just 23 minutes. Don't expect that one to last much more than an hour...

Nervy times for Heather Watson as she battles to halt the Babos express. The Hungarian licks her lips as she is poised to pounce at 30-30 - but doesn't bank on Watson outpowering her from the baseline. A thumping forehand puts Watson on the verge of a crucial hold, wrapping it up with a booming serve down the T which Babos can only slap back into the net. 

And a huge shriek and double fistpump from Watson tells you exactly how important that hold was....

Leon Smith
Great Britain Davis Cup captain

"Babos is very strong and can create a lot of power but Watson can absorb pace and deflect it back. Heather probably has a bit more court craft and can put the ball in awkward places and make her opponent miss."

Blimey. Timea Babos has got a sledgehammer of a forehand. The hefty Hungarian pounds Heather Watson's defence to clinch a service game that the Briton never looked like nabbing. Parity restored.