Seventh break point...saved.

No...wait...make it eight.

This could go on forever.

Image source, Reuters

Oooo. What's this? A break point for Benoit Paire. The French crowd get behind their man, wanting to see a competitive match.

Nadal goes wide. Paire breaks back. "Allez," he cries, pumping his arms to the crowd.

Image source, AFP

A sixth set point for Djokovic now, but once against Granollers claws his way back.

Djokovic spins his racquet up in the air in frustration and then fails to catch it. Ooops.

This game is heading for the 10 minute mark....

A couple of years ago there were doubts over whether Rafa Nadal's topspin forehand could get back to the devastating weapon it once was.

Let me tell you. It has.

The Spanish lefty follows another winner off that wing with a backhand that is too good en route to his sixth game in a row.

Granollers has had two chances to wrap up this game, but he hasn't been able to get it right.

Djokovic has another set point...but places a forehand long.

Back to deuce again...

Image source, Getty Images

A wonderful, wonderful straight-as-an-arrow return from Novak Djokovic gives the Serb three set points.

Granollers saves two with successive aces, and then saves the third with a jump-and-smash.

We go to deuce...

Piers Newbery
BBC Sport in Paris

A 24-minute opening set will do the job for Nadal, and the best bet for Paire appears to be one of the dark grey clouds that have scooted overhead at times. No sign of any rain so far though, and Nadal is right at home rearranging water bottles, cleaning lines with his feet, and clubbing forehands for fun.

Image source, Getty Images

Brutal, brutal stuff. Paire started well but in 24 minutes Rafa takes the first set.

Just two unforced errors from Nadal in that set, 10 for Paire. The Frenchman has to go for it but he needs everything to land in.

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Novak Djokovic taking his anger out in the right way - by smashing the ball past his opponent.

He looks like he's about to hold to love again, but his low slice falls the wrong side of the net.

Nae bother, though. Djokovic lands his fourth ace of the match to take the game.

Image source, Getty Images

This is so tough for Benoit Paire.

Nadal flies through a service game and the pressure is right back on the Frenchman.

Nadal, with his foot firmly on the gas, muscles himself to three more break points. Paire does a good job of saving two of them but he can't keep the Majorcan any longer. This set must be in the bag for the nine-time champ now.

Image source, Reuters

Marcel Granollers takes his service game and all of a sudden the Spaniard is back in the set.

He's still a break down but Djokovic looks a little bit testy out there.

Image source, Reuters

Novak Djokovic's service game isn't quite going to plan. He's 0-30 down.

A second ace of the match gets him off the mark and then Granollers slices an effort long.

The Serb comes rushing into the net and tries to play a backhand around the net post. Not even Djoko is that bendy. Break point Granollers.

And the Spaniard takes it after an unforced error from Djokovic! He is furious. Absolutely furious.

First danger for Benoit Paire on serve. First he misses a forehand and then a double fault gives Nadal 0-30.

With classic thumping ground strokes Nadal brings up the first break points of the match. First one saved with a serve by Paire. No such luck on the second. Nadal, on the slide, with a backhand down the line.

That game was Rafa Nadal on clay in a nutshell.

Image source, Getty Images

Novak Djokovic chips away at Marcel Granollers service game and earns one break point, but the Serb's backhand doesn't go to plan so we go to deuce.

Granollers hits into the net to give Djokovic another chance to break.

And the game goes to the world number two, when he finds a winner on the chalk.

Surely the set is his now?

Image source, Reuters

Piers Newbery
BBC Sport in Paris

Paire is not the easiest of opening opponents for Nadal, a talented player touted as a future top-10er by the French media a few years ago. Fitness and form have failed him at various times, and he has a somewhat fragile temperament. Paire carved his own niche in the long history of tennis tantrums recently by smashing two racquets in one point - one after missing a serve, then the replacement when he missed a drop shot moments later.

Both Nadal and Paire have little trouble in winning their opening service games. The Spaniard's record on the red clay of Roland Garros really is remarkable. The nine-time champion has only lost two of his 74 matches at the tournament.

This is a tricky first round match though. At 45 in the world, Paire has a higher ranking than what Nadal would expect to face in the opening round. The Frenchman has started positively with a couple of nice drop shots and a fierce forehand winner.

Image source, Reuters

Djokovic is being made to slip and slide around the clay by Granollers but the Spaniard messes up the execution of his backhand and he's thoroughly displeased about it.

The world number two moves to 40-0 and it's another hold to love.

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A second ace of the match for Marcel Granollers brings him up to 40-0.

And then another big serve sees him also hold to love. Decent, that.

Whilst I'm chowing down on a jammy dodger, Djokovic breezes through his service game and holds to love.

We're both making short work of our respective activities.

Image source, AFP

Nadal will get us under way wearing a blue shirt with green trim, matching shoes and headband plus white shorts.

As ever he is a bundle of energy bouncing around at the back of the court before taking his seat and precisely getting his drinks bottles in order.

"Play"