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Milos Raonic swats away Andy Murray's attempted lob like a pesky fly at a barbecue to set up 30-30 and suddenly the Scot's serve is under the microscope.

Raonic loads up on return, but that is over-eager as he pumps a forehand long.

And Murray sees off the danger with a serve as cunning as a conspiratorial weasel.

Nuff: I'll take a hint from Raonic and get a mouthguard. Watching Muzza has potential of reducing enamel to paste.   

Claire: I'm sitting in my office in Portsmouth marking. Generosity fluctuating depending on Murray fortunes.  

A point against serve! The Rod Laver Arena crowd rubs their fists into eye-sockets as Andy Murray finds a route past Milos Raonic at the net.

They could be mistaken for thinking it was a mirage.

Raonic pummels away his 10th ace of the match as he holds to 15.

This is not the most enthralling tennis, but the serving standard is somewhere up in the stratosphere.

Read our report on his semi-final here.

A second-serve ace from Andy Murray closes out the game.

Five games in this third set so far - all won on serve to love. Just 17 minutes on the clock.

They like their Twenty20 cricket Down Under - this feels like short-format tennis as we take the bullet train to the business end of the set.

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Sixteen unanswered points on serve so far in the third set as Milos Raonic jams one into Andy Murray's ribs to keep pace on the scoreboard.

It feels like both players are catching their breath before launching themselves into the fray again. A little bit of a distracted atmosphere on the Rod Laver Arena as well.

Robin Armstrong: I've perfected a work "silent scream" so a clenched fist and a tightened jaw makes do over a gigantic "COME ON ANDY" roar.

Joanne Forman: Happily being distracted from the cleaning and ironing before starting afternoon shift at work.

And a third hold to love in a row at the beginning of the third set as Andy Murray breezes through his service game.

If he can lock down that end of the match, you fancy him to make some inroads on Raonic's tee-off.

Pat Cash
Former Wimbledon champion on Radio 5 live sports extra

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"Andy Murray knows he has to be patient against Raonic and can't get too wound up. You know it'll be ugly and frustrating when you just have to walk from side to side because you can't get near Raonic's serve.

Milos Raonic's serve has not left Andy Murray swatting thin air too often.

Only the seventh ace of the match from the Canadian takes him to 40-0.

But often Murray's return is so defensive that Raonic's second shot is the winner.

So it is as the big man wallops away an open invite of a mid-court bounce to seal the game.

Thirty-four unforced errors so far from Raonic though - when the rallies do kick off his errors are cropping up with regularity.

Ashley: Nearly shouted in the office -  get in Murray!

Judy Young: Listening on my phone while walking the dogs in windy Battersea Park. Apologies to other walkers for my shouting!

Best of three? Shall we? Let's.

The two players take up arms again with the scoreboard spirit-level flat.

Andy Murray is the man with the mojo in his strings though.

He puts away a backhand overhead volley as casually as if he were plucking a family pack of loo roll off the top shelf of the supermarket.

Raonic duffs long on the net point as he drifts out of the game to love.  

Pat Cash
Former Wimbledon champion on Radio 5 live sports extra

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"Murray's just started making enough returns to make it uncomfortable for Raonic.

"It's 20 unforced errors to Murray's five. All-round just a great set from Murray. He's put away that bad start and he's playing solid tennis."

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Andy Murray breaks for the first time in the match after five missed chances.

And what a time to do it.

Milos Raonic cannot scrape the Scot's dipping return off his shins as he follows in his serve. It was a gutsy play from the 13th seed. Perhaps a little too gutsy.

Murray punches the air and is level on the scoreboard.

Right, Milos Raonic serving to take this to a tie-break serve shoot-out.

He is one of the fastest ace-slingers in the business so will fancy his chances in that duel.

The Canadian is not readying his holster in Main Street just yet though.

Double fault takes him to 30-30. Murray whips across court for 30-40! Set point.

Milos Raonic came up with some drop-dead gorgeous forehand angles in the last game.

In this one he throws some real stinking groundstrokes into the mix, dolloping a horrible backhand wide and long on his way out of the game to love.

Andy Murray would like to see some more of those.

Pat Cash
Former Wimbledon champion on Radio 5 live sports extra

Image source, Getty Images

"A lot of it is down to experience. We can’t underestimate how important experience is. The more you’re in it, the more you know what’s happening.

"Not many big players come from nowhere and win.

"Raonic is improving his game. If he gets nervous, and his serve doesn't go in, now he’s got more tools."

Milos Raonic is still bulletproof. He has been a tennising T1000 so far today.

Andy Murray grinding like a dancefloor nuisance.

The Scot wears down Milos Raonic in a lengthy exchange - full of angle and accuracy - to set up 15-30.

Two points away from the second set and parity.

Raonic to the net, Murray's pass sits up pretty for him and he puts away the volley. 30-30.

Oh lovely!  Raonic with a incredible cross court forehand that dies near the umpire's chair to bring up 40-30.

Murray bites back and we are to deuce.

Pat Cash
Former Wimbledon champion on Radio 5 live sports extra

Image source, Getty Images

"Andy's pockets only seem to annoy him when he's losing. Aren't humans funny?"