Leon Smith
Great Britain Davis Cup captain on Radio 5 live sports extra

It hasn't been much of a contest. Djokovic has been very comfortable but it was a story of Verdasco's unforced error count. If he serves a lot better, he can hold and that can change everything.

It's catching - Djokovic is double faulting now.

And he's just got his footwork wrong on the baseline as he puts a forehand long for 30-30.

Verdasco challenges a Novak shot that was right in the corner - it was on the line so he gets that wrong.

There's fight in the old Spanish dog yet though. The longest rally of the match ends with Verdasco snaffling up a drop shot and dinking it long for a winner and deuce.

He follows up the sublime with the silly as he floats one too long and Djokovic takes the set by finishing an all-over-the-place rally at the net.

Image source, AP

Leon Smith
Great Britain Davis Cup captain on Radio 5 live sports extra

One gentleman has stood up to applaud Verdasco. This crowd will get behind him, they can see how hard he's trying.

Finally...

Verdasco lands the first ace - straight down the middle - and takes a 30-0 lead as Djokovic comes to the net but can't pop the ball over.

But the Spaniard flaps at a forehand from the baseline and it goes long, giving Novak a route back in, which he quickly capitalises on with a forehand winner.

Argh. Verdasco is starting to creak as he double faults.

The crowd give him encouragement though and Novak miscues a return for deuce.

And maybe Verdasco's serve is finding some rhythm as one out wide is too hot for Djokovic and then the Serb crashes into the net.

Call your friends - tell them Verdasco has won a game.

Image source, Getty Images

There we go - Verdasco sizzles for the first time with a cross-court forehand winner that Djokovic gives the thumbs up to.

But the Spaniard is in the path of a Novak steam train here as the Serb hits a tasty forehand winner that slides away from Verdasco.

Back to 30-30 and things light up - a wonderful rally that Djokovic keeps alive and Verdasco finishes with a stretching overhead backhand volley. Something out of Swan Lake.

Djokovic takes it to deuce though and quickly finishes off the game.

Image source, Getty Images

Verdasco could do with a few easy points and there's one as Djokovic miscues a return.

Boom - no mistake on this return though as he thumps a forehand into the corner for a winner.

The Spaniard battles back to 30-30 but wastes it all with a loose shot that goes long and then gets bogged down in a rally that ends with him putting a forehand into the net.

Djokovic two breaks up already - that's probably the set done with.

Image source, AFP

Russell Fuller
BBC tennis correspondent on Radio 5 live sports extra

It can't be a good feeling when you're three-nil down after eight minutes and you've shanked a few shots.

Leon Smith
Great Britain Davis Cup captain on Radio 5 live sports extra

It's been a shocker of a start from Verdasco. When you're not timing the ball and mishitting it a lot, it's difficult to get into a rhythm.

Image source, AFP

A Djokovic serve at 15-15 makes a satisfying rattling noise as it clangs into something metal at the back of the court - it was wide but Verdasco can't deal with the second serve.

Djokovic hits a down-the-line winner and Verdasco hands over the game with one that loops out of play.

Urgh. Verdasco's timing is a little off early doors as another forehand flips off the wrong part of his racquet and looks a tad slow getting across to another forehand that finds the net.

Djokovic goes long to bring it back to 15-40 but the Spaniard is caught in no-man's land and scoops the ball from his feet and wide for an early break of serve.

Image source, AFP

And Djokovic has his serving eye in straight away as Verdasco bats a return high and wayward and then hits into the net.

Djokovic backhands into the net though for 30-15 before Verdasco gets his lefty forehand all wrong twice in quick succession.

A comfortable early hold for the Serb.

Here we go. The six-time champion Djokovic to serve and get us under way.

Image source, Getty Images

Fernando Verdasco has history here on the hard courts of Melbourne.

Last year he pulled off a massive shock by seeing off Rafael Nadal in the first round and in 2009 he reached the semi-finals.

The world number 40 had a career high ranking of seven in 2009, so he's capable of causing an upset.

Novak Djokovic, wearing a pastel blue T-shirt, has a steely look in his eye during the knock-up.

Fernando Verdassco has gone for a white top with electric pink sleeves and shorts.

I like it, not enough neon peach around these days. If I ever form a band, I'll call them Neon Peach.

Image source, Getty Images

So, Britain has five players through to the second round of the Australian Open for the first time since 1987.

Here's one to brush the morning cobwebs away - who were those five players?

Use #bbctennis , externalto have a guess

(Clue: The fella in the picture went out in the first round)

Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki did not hang around as she beat Australian Arina Rodionova 6-1 6-2 in just over an hour.

The 17th-seeded Dane faces Croatia's Donna Vekic in the second round.

Image source, Getty Images

So, what sort of form is Novak in?

Decent. Very decent.

The Serb won all five matches at the Qatar Open, beating Andy Murray in the final and today's opponent Fernando Verdasco in the semis, to make it an ubeaten start to 2017.

But possibly, just possibly, the memory of losing his final match of 2016 - to Murray in the ATP World Tour final - and surrendering the world number one spot, is sitting in the back of his mind somewhere.

Russell Fuller
BBC tennis correspondent on Radio 5 live sports extra

The air temperature is still very warm and humid. Spectators are fanning themselves to keep cool.

Image source, Getty Images

It's steamy out there.

The temperature in Melbourne is 33C (91F) - which I'm told is hot even for Melbourne.

The players have had to contend with it all day, but the good folk of the city have been out on the beaches soaking it up.

Image source, Getty Images

Hey, rise and shine! There's already been plenty of action today, most notably with Heather Watson, Johanna Konta and Kyle Edmund progressing.

That takes the number of Brits in the second round to five.

It could be six with Naomi Broady taking on Australian 22nd seed Daria Gavrilova later.

You can read about all the other results, including wins for Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal, using the links below.

Report: Konta, Watson and Edmund through

Report: Serena Williams starts record bid with easy win

Report: Rafael Nadal cruises through

Schedule: Djokovic, Dimitrov, Radwanska and Broady to come

Day two: Latest scores and full results