An early break of serve would give Aljaz Bedene the boost he needs. He goes 15-0 up but Jiri Vesely takes some wind out of the sails with a superb little stun volley at the net.

Aljaz Bedene needs to give himself the mother of all talks at the break here. The court is being watered, but Britain's number three does not look in any frame of mind to take this to five sets. I may be wrong - we shall see.

Here they come!

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

It has not been a vintage performance from Aljaz.

He lost his second service game and has not really recovered from there. He has been second best on serve and beaten at the back of the court.

More ropey stuff from Aljaz Bedene, he hits a shot that may have been out on a court behind this court - and then pumps wide. Set to Jiri Vesely.

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

Vesely keeps stretching his neck out as if something is bothering him but you wouldn't know it.

I think he has been playing a higher percentage, not going for the lines as much, and that has been a better strategy.

The shadows grow long on court 3 as Jiri Vesely fires down some more unreturnable serves. Coming at you with pace and from a great height, it's a wonderful service game.

Two aces and a service winner, and he's a game away from a two-set lead.

An ace from Bedene, and he takes the game. He does not look happy or comfortable out there though.

You're playing tennis Aljaz! And you're facing another break point after a duff bounce leads to a poor drop shot.

A first serve into the net - but then a cracking shot on the slide to bring it back to deuce.

And then a service winner. A screwed shot well long. So up and down.

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

Bedene is making a gesture again as if to say "what am I doing here?"

Good shot to move 4-2 ahead! Jiri Vesely punches a winner cross court and Aljaz Bedene is in a heap of Roland Garros trouble.

Lovely passing shot down the line from Jiri Vesely, who looks the more dangerous player so far.

The winner of this match play either Mikhail Kukushkin or Roberto Bautista Agut.

Bedene rattles through that game though, sealing it with his seventh ace. He's been so up and down. Can he level his game out and challenge?

No, the chance never comes as Bedene hits a shot into the net and gifts Vesely another game.

These two have shared 26 unforced errors between them so far. It's not a classic.

Where's the cue ball going?! The longest rally of the match, 17 strokes before Jiri Vesely times one all wrong, off the frame and very nearly onto the main road at the back of the court.

0-30. Chance for a break back maybe?

Nope! Yep!

Aljaz Bedene up and down at the moment, driving a free ball into the heart of the net before hitting an ace which would have Sampras blushing.

And then another great winner. He looks like an oil painting one minute, a trash can the next.

I've gone for the anti-commentators' curse there. Let's see if Aljaz Bedene can shake this slumber off. Halfway up the net, but that's better! Crisp winner.

The beauty of sport is so often its unpredictability and ability to surprise. But there is nothing about the pattern of play over the last half hour or so or the body language of Aljaz Bedene which suggest that he has a plan, a chance, of turning this around.

He pumps a shot way long and looks frustrated with himself.

Jiri Vesely actually hasn't hit an ace yet but the angle he generates from his ample frame serves up all sorts of trouble. There's the ace! Aljaz Bedene isn't happy and looks at the clay forlornly. You'll find no answers there.

And it's Jiri Vesely who is well in control now. A set and a break up. The Czech is making light work of the British number three.

Aljaz Bedene got just 37% of his first serves in in that first set. And he's already a break point down at the start of the second...