Oh, that's lovely from Nishikori, enticing Evans into the net and then looping a passing shot past him that drops just inside the baseline. That ratchets up the pressure on Evans at 30-30, and it shows as he double-faults. Nishikori stings a pass at the racket of Evans, and it proves just too tough to handle - he sends the volley agonisingly over the baseline, and he's in real trouble now.

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Jamie Baker
Former GB Davis Cup player on BBC Two

"If you put a Djokovic serve on Nishikori's game you wonder what you would have."

Dan Evans isn't going to give up without a fight - he forces an error from Nishikori to bring up 15-30, then the Japanese double-faults. Two break points.

Nishikori saves the first with a superb drop shot, then whips a backhand winner into the corner.

And that is delicious - Nishikori bludgeoning the baseline, pushing Evans further and further back, then feathering a drop shot over the net. A big serve puts Nishikori on the board in this first set.

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John Lloyd
Former Davis Cup finalist on BBC Two

"Dan had 0-40 at 2-2 but top 10 players, when they sense danger, they have that extra little bit. 

"The first serve was keeping Dan in the set and it dipped in that last game. Nishikori can just accelerate at the crucial time."

Such consistency of depth from Nishikori - he relentlessly peppers the baseline and eventually finishes the point by going down the middle with Evans stranded. A brilliant return down the sideline brings up two set points.

Evans saves the first when Nishikori goes wide, and a brilliant serve takes care of the second.

Deuce, and Evans sets up an easy volley with a big serve - but he sticks the volley in the net! Set point number three - and Evans double-faults! A long, long way back...

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Jamie Baker
Former GB Davis Cup player on BBC Two

"Dan has produced a couple of very, very, good wins for Leon.

"If anyone has had an influence over Dan then it is Leon, if he was to go to someone for advice it would be him.

"If he can put together some consistency then where could he go? Could it be top 100? Why not?"

Make no mistake, the longer Evans clings onto Nishikori in this set, the more the Japanese is feeling the pressure - a tight double-fault shows his unease. Unfortunately though, Evans can't put him under any real pressure - too many errors, particularly on the forehand side, are allowing Nishikori to hold onto his serve pretty comfortably.

Huge applause for Evans as he steps up to the line to serve to stay in the set. Is he up to the task in this pressure-cooker atmosphere? Surely he can't afford to lose this set.

A crucial point at 40-30 - Evans cracks a forehand, he thinks it's caught the sideline, but it's called out. Evans challenges, and it's a whisker wide. Deuce. Dangerous moments. But two big serves keep Evans in the set.

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Evans is more than capable of hanging in the rally with Nishikori, but too often he's on the wrong side of the fine margins - he crafts a really good point but then spoils it by sending his forehand just long. Nishikori holds on.

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Nishikori has shown he's not afraid to be ruthless when Evans comes into net - once again he eschews the pass and whacks the ball straight at the man. But Evans is not perturbed - an ace seals a comfortable hold.

Nishikori has gone off the boil all of a sudden. A forehand into the tape and another one over the baseline give Evans a big chance at 0-40.

The first two disappear. Can he take the third? He's right in the rally, but a slightly mistimed forehand sits up juicily in mid-court and Nishikori puts its away ruthlessly with a leaping backhand.

You feel Evans has to take those sort of chances, and so it proves as Nishikori polishes off the final two points.

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Jamie Baker
Former GB Davis Cup player on BBC Two

"It is the way Evans plays the game, he is annoying to play against because you don’t know what is coming next."

Excellent from Evans, just what he needed after that mammoth hold in his last service game. He changes it up with some nice slices and changes of pace and Nishikori has no answer - it's a love hold.

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Evans not making much of an impression on the Nishikori serve in this set. A high lob lands out and it's a hold to love for Nishikori.

A rare miss from Nishikori with the two-handed backhand, and it proves costly - he puts a return into the tape on the next point and Evans has the game.

When Nishikori is firing, the ball makes a crack like a gunshot off the strings. Two ultra-aggressive forehands set him up for a coruscating winner that brings up 15-30. 

Evans wins the next point, but Nishikori steers a backhand down the line and it's break point. Nishikori nets with a backhand though, then fires long.

Another error from Evans and we're back to deuce. Then Nishikori absolutely mullers a forehand return right into the corner. Break point number two, but the Japanese goes long...

Jamie Baker
Former GB Davis Cup player on BBC Two

"Dan needs to narrow focus into the next 20 minutes here and leave everything he can on the court.

"I think it would be near impossible to come from two sets down against this opponent."

Oh, that's superb from Evans - setting up Nishikori with a knifed backhand slice and then picking him off at the net with a delicious curling pass. That gets Evans to 30-30, but he can't capitalise, misfiring on a couple of returns.

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Some good serving from Evans here - a couple of really big first serves force Nishikori to err and he races through to a love hold. Just what the doctor ordered after losing that first set.