That's nice from the Ukranian, stepping into Murray's forehand and giving the Scot the runaround to claim a point back as the world number one can't lift his one-handed backhand over the net.

Marchenko has Murray on the run again and comes into the net, putting him away to level at 30-30 with a smash at the second attempt.

Well Murray will be relieved to have broken back straight away and he quickly moves into a 30-0 lead with some smart backhand play that forces Marchenko to strike it long.

Murray lofts one high into the Melbourne sky and gives Marchenko the chance to smash it away, but the Scot keeps it in play and earns three break points when the Ukrainian can only find the net.

And that's 1-1 - two games, two breaks? Poor shot from Marchenko as he strikes the net under no real pressure.

A little more settled from the Scot as Marchenko enters his first service game, he wins the first point and then goes 0-30 up as Marchenko double faults. 

Well, who saw that coming? Andy Murray a break down after a service game in which he served up three double faults.

It's hot out there, is that getting to him? So many uncharacteristically sloppy errors from Murray there.

A third double fault from Murray in the opening game? When's the last time that's happened for the world number one?

Not a great service game from Murray, and he now faces a break point as a forehand goes long.

Another double fault from Andy Murray - he'll want to get those early jitters out of his game. That brings it back to 30-30.

The Scot forces Marchenko back behind the baseline on the next point, and eventually the Ukrainian goes long.

So Murray double faults to lose the first point, but quickly brings it back to 15- all and then forces Marchenko to go long and edge into a lead.

Right, time to get started here and it's the world number one who will serve.

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Andy Murray's eyes are firmly fixed on adding the Australian Open title to his brimming trophy cabinet, but he'll no doubt be aware the tournament has increased its prize money to record levels for 2017.

If the Scot is successful in Melbourne, he'll secure a tasty A$3,700,000, that's £2,302,632.

However, the focus of this year's prize fund is on those players beaten in the early rounds of the tournament.

It's up 14% on 2016 at 50m Australian dollars (£29.4m) - first-round losers will earn A$50,000 (£29,360), up 39%, while prize money across qualifying is up 39%.

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First up for the world number one in Melbourne this year is 29-year-old Illya Marchenko of Ukraine.

The world number 95 has faced Andy Murray just once before, in the second round of the Australian Open in 2011.

The Scot, then ranked fifth in the standings, eased to a straight sets victory that day, winning 6-1 6-3 6-3.

Murray's name has just been called as he enters the Rod Laver Arena - but there's no "Sir" from the resident Australian announcer.

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In fact, Murray is looking to avoid becoming the first man in the Open Era to lose six Grand Slam finals at any one major. 

The Scot's coach Ivan Lendl is the only other man to have lost five finals at any one Grand Slam event – he lost in the title match at the US Open from 1982-84 and 1988-89 but won the tournament between 1985-87.  

Murray is also looking to become only the second man in the Open Era to win the Australian Open title after losing two or more finals in Melbourne. 

Marat Safin is the only player to lose multiple finals at the tournament before winning the title, having lost the final in 2002 and 2004 before winning the title in 2005.

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It has been five finals, five defeats at the Australian Open for world number one Andy Murray.

But a win in Melbourne for the Scot this time around would make him the first man in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam title after losing that many finals at any one tournament.

Murray finished as runner-up to Roger Federer in 2010, and to Djokovic in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2016. 

Djokovic, Federer, Goran Ivanisevic and Ivan Lendl are the only players in the Open Era to lose three Grand Slam finals at one major before winning the title.

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A year is a long time in tennis, especially if your name is Andy Murray...

It was in Melbourne 12 months ago that the Scot succumbed to the world's best player as Novak Djokovic won his sixth Australian Open and condemned Murray to a fifth final loss in the tournament.

Fast forward to the first day's play this year and it is Murray who reigns in the men's game, overtaking the Serb at the end of 2016 to become the first British singles player since computerised rankings began in 1973 to top the world charts.

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And what a year it has been for Britain's number one: becoming a new dad in February, Wimbledon champion for the second time in June, defending his Olympic crown in August and overtaking Djokovic in November - oh, and the small factor of being awarded a knighthood.

There's still one thing missing from the Murray mantelpiece though, and that's an Australian Open crown.

Is 2017 the year for even more firsts?