This is tiring just watching. An absolute slugfest. Barely a piece of tracing paper between these two fellas.

Punches are traded again, point to Rafa, point to Roger, the Swiss breaking the trend to set up another break point.

I make that number eight of the match and fourth in the Swiss's favour.

Saved! Rafa holds off his man, but not for long...

What is abundantly clear is that Rafael Nadal appears* to be back to his best.

* I reserve the right to reconsider this statement in six months time

Image source, EPA

Now the Federer serve is creaking again. Nadal rustles up another break point with some aggressive returning.

Is this the moment when somebody cracks? No!

Federer, with the help of the net-chord, wrongfoots the Spaniard to wipe out his momentum and his chance of the break.

The Swiss goes on to hold, breathing a heavy sigh of relief as he goes back to his chair.

Sarah Kenny : Sunday night bliss watching one of the greatest sporting rivalries of all time.  

Half an hour gone, and what a half an hour it has been. More entertainment and drama then an episode of Eastenders, that is for sure.

Hello faithful friend. Rafa pulls out the old big-serve-down-the-middle, leaving Roger shuffling his feet like an awkward uncle on the wedding dancefloor.

That moves us into deuce, Rafa clinching the hold without any further scares.

Image source, Rex Features

If we had a fancy heatmap-style graphic available then I reckon both baselines would look hotter than the Costa del Sol. Not many bursts forward from either man yet.

Ah...then right on cue, Nadal decides to head towards the net at 30-30. Federer sees it coming like a bad gag, guiding a controlled forehand down the channel.

Break point to Federer...

Not a bad vantage point. That's what you get for being a 18-time Grand Slam champion...

Wow. Rafael Nadal drops behind the baseline to face Federer's second serve at 40-30, whipping a fierce forehand down the line to force deuce.

Federer slaps a return into the net.... break point Nadal.

Nadal stares down a forehand heading towards the line, his hopeful stare turning into a look to the skies as it smacks the top of the net.

Federer seizes the advantage, pinning Nadal back in the corner on the ad side, which forces the Spaniard wide.

More danger averted by the 18-time Grand Slam champion.

"Come on!" Nadal fistpumps for the first time as he saves that first Federer break point to force deuce.

But that joy turns to despair as he clunks the net-chord and the ball flies out wide. Another break point for Federer.

Advantage Fed goes back to deuce, however, when Nadal hammers down a big first serve, backing that up with a well-constructed point won by an overhead.

And Nadal goes back to that trusty serve down the T to hold off his great rival. All square.

A quick breather, a change of ends, a severe examination of the Nadal serve.

Federer puts the squeeze on the Spaniard, forcing him on the back foot to go 0-30 ahead.

The Swiss overcooks a forehand though for 15-30 and then does the same with a backhand. I don't think we've seen Roger mishit a backhand all season.

That wipes out Federer's advantage, but he regains it immediately to set up his first break point of the match...

Federer goes 0-15 behind, then steps into the net to protect his property like a fierce guard dog. A net volley levels up at 15-15, allowing the Swiss to regain command of his service game. Another ace puts him 40-15 ahead, allowing him to wrap up a routine hold at the first opportunity.

That should settle Roger down after that nervy opening service game.

What's Rafa's service game saying? It is saying 'let's go for this old guy's body'. Nadal hammers down some vicious body serves, leaving Federer with few answers as the Spaniard goes 40-15 ahead.

The ageing Swiss gets those feet moving a little quicker to thump back a pinpoint forehand for 40-30, but any hope of a break evaporates when Nadal batters down an ace.

Anyone else salivating after that opening game? My keyboard is dripping. Cancel your plans. We could be here for the long haul.

Danger averted. Federer saving that break point when his power forces Nadal into knocking up a high ball that he dispatches.

But the Swiss maestro is still not finding his first serve. That helps Nadal win a second break point.

Federer dodges trouble to save that one too, then bangs down an ace to take advantage. And he seals a tough hold when Nadal whips that usually-reliable forehand into the net.

Image source, Rex Features

Nadal is wearing his game face. Focused, almost menancing. He tightens his glare after whipping a double-handed backhand past his great rival to edge 15-30 ahead. Then any hope of a easy break opportunity is taken from him when Roger responds with an ace down the T. 

Or maybe not. Roger goes long from the baseline to give Nadal a break point at the first opportunity...

Ready? Let's rumble. Roger Federer to serve first...

*denotes next server

Just in case you're wondering who the heck these two guys are...

Image source, BBC Sport

Here they are! Ear-splitting screams and whoops greet Rafa Nadal and then Roger Federer as they walk out to the sort of reception usually received by One Direction.

Time for a few loosening serves and then we will get cracking.

Image source, Reuters

The Miami Masters, as we know, plays a special part in this serial drama. As well as their first meeting taking place here, it is also where they met in their first final.

Federer fought back from two sets down to win 2-6 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 6-1.

"The final was unbelievable. It was a turning point in my career, to be quite honest," says Federer 

"For me to be able to focus for, I don't know how long we played, maybe four hours, smashing forehand after forehand down the line.

"I remember I felt like I had to learn how to fight in matches, and there I showed it to myself and my team that I could do it."