So Murray breaks...and then struggles on his own serve. Frustrating. 

Stepanek forces Murray close into the net and then back again. The Czech pops over a very delicate shot and has two break points. 

Murray saves one but fails to save another. His own delicate shot fails to clear the net. We go to 1-1. 

What a restart for Murray. Three break points in the bag.

A huge roar from the Scot as he watches Stepanek return into the net and he breaks straight away. That's more like it. 

We have a brief break in play as Stepanek fiddles with his contact lens. I'm now looking away from my screen because ewww eye-touching ewwwwwww.

The 37-year-old has just taken the first set...

Image source, .

A few expletives muttered under Murray's breath as he loses the first two points on his serve. 

He grabs one back when Stepanek fails with a forehand return but Murray then tries to lob his opponent over his head and it goes long. 

Two set points to Stepanek...and he grabs his chance! First set to the Czech. That wasn't in the script. 

Image source, AP

Stepanek's backhand drop shot still seems to be flummoxing Andy Murray, and it's really bugging him.

Like that bloomin' pigeon, who has appeared again to irritate me. Gaaaah.

Murray takes it to deuce with a tight angled backhand close to the net, but Stepanek sneaks the advantage after a bulletproof serve, and Murray hits too long as the Czech holds his serve. 

Naomi Broady is fighting back against Coco Vandeweghe over on court four, The Briton, having lost the first set 6-4, leads the American 3-1 in the second.

Meanwhile, Kyle Edmund is serving at 4-3 down in the second set against Georgia's Nikoloz Basilashvili on court six. He won the first set in a tie-break. Could be heading the same way in this set...

The familiar sound of the Andy Murray grunt lingers across the Philippe Chatrier Court.

He is really being worked by the wily old fox that is 37-year-old Radek Stepanek. Another drop shot leaves Murray hanging. 

Murray rescues the game eventually, when Stepanek fails to return his serve. The Scotsman needs a break, and soon. 

Stepanek starts with an ace down the middle. Ping.

A lovely rally ensues at 30-15 - easily the longest we've had so far - and a terrific backhand lob from hands Murray the point.

Another epic run of shots ends with Stepanek producing a lovely backhand winner. 

Murray hits low into the net at 40-30 the Czech takes the game.  

Andy Murray holds his service game, as Radek Stepanek repeatedly hits long past the baseline. 

The Scotsman, decked out in desert-like boots, sits down at his seat, fiddles with his racquet and contemplates his next move. 

Andy Murray smashes a beautiful forehand return cross-court to go 15-30 up on Stepanek's serve. 

That's more like it from the Briton.

But the Czech is really favouring these delicate little drop shots, and he levels the score with another one, as he catches Murray drift back in defence.

Stepanek then holds his serve to take a 3-1 lead.

It's been 11 years since Andy Murray and Radek Stepanek first met in a Grand Slam - at Wimbledon 2005.

The Scot, then 18 years old, came out on top with a 6-4 6-4 6-4 win over the then 26-year-old Czech.

So is Murray surprised to still be playing against the veteran? 

"It's amazing, really," Murray told ITV earlier. "He had a bad injury last year but he's playing well. 

"He's had a lot of tennis and I probably didn't expect to still be playing him. He has a great attitutde so there's no wonder he's still here fighting."

Image source, Getty Images

Radek Stepanek has just been described as a "crafty veteran" on the television coverage. Sounds about right. 

He delicately chips a backhand over the net, and it completely fools Murray. 0-15.

The British number one is given the run around again at 30-15, as Stepanek forces the Scot to race backwards and forwards, left and right. 

An ace from Murray makes it 40-30, but we go to deuce. Murray starts muttering to himself as the Czech steals the advantage.

Eeeeeeeh. A double fault from Murray. Stepanek breaks. 

Good news for Kyle, not so good for Naomi...

Edmund took the first set 7-6 against Nikoloz Basilashvili while Broady lost her opener 6-4 against Coco Vandeweghe.

For those of you who were tuned in earlier, there was a pigeon with a death wish hovering over the court in Kyle Edmund's game with Nikoloz Basilashvili.

Another pigeon, or maybe even the same one, is getting in the way of Murray's game now. Flying in front of the camera, the little pest.

Anyway, Stepanek is on serve and he leads 40-15. Murray hits a feeble forehand which goes past the baseline and the Czech holds. 

Simon Briggs
Daily Telegraph tennis correspondent on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

"It's bold from Andy to play the drop shot in the first point of the match, especially against Stepanek who is a bit of a doubles expert and very good around the net.

"Andy might be thinking about getting the job done before the light fades. That makes for an interesting dynamic."

Andy Murray claims the advantage, but Stepanek is well up for debating whether the Scotsman's shot was in or out.

The Czech holds his head in his hands as the umpire gives it in. He is not happy. Death stare central. 

After going back to deuce, it's another advantage Murray. Stepanek hits out wide and Murray takes the game. 

Andy Murray is going to get us under way. He won the toss and chose to serve first.

It's a dodgy start for the Scot, though. He goes 0-30 down after being out-tricked at the net by 37-year-old Stepanek. 

Murray recovers to 40-30, as his opponent's forehand lets him down, but the Briton hits into the net for deuce. 

Andy Murray has already beaten Stepanek once this year - in the round of 32 at the Madrid Masters.

Here's how they compare over their careers.

Image source, .

Sorry, Kyle Edmund, but we're now going to focus on your fellow Briton Andy Murray, who has just stepped out onto the clay to face Radek Stepanek.

We will, of course, stay across Edmund's game as well as Naomi Broady against Coco Vandeweghe. 

The swooping pigeon is back. Must have a death wish.

On court, Basilashvili is shaking his head in frustration as he twice fails to return and instead hits the net. It's 40-15.

Edmund remains unmoved as his opponent hits long past the baseline. The Briton holds his serve again.