Russell Fuller
BBC tennis correspondent at Flushing Meadows

I’m going to run out of room on my scorecard. A lot of break points and deuces.

Kevin Anderson is heading down the deuce bar once again after clumping a forehand long at 40-30.

He tends to take his time once he gets settled in there as well.

Jeff Tarango
Former professional tennis player on 5 live at Flushing Meadows

On can Nadal surpass Federer's Grand Slam total of 19...

Yes he can, I think Federer only has two or three years left. If Federer can get two titles in that time I don’t think Nadal will overtake him but if not Rafa will probably have five years and four and a half playing so he can.

Image source, AFP

Maybe Kevin Anderson can do a whole lot more than make the tie-break....

The South African comes striding into the net and whips away a drive volley for 15-30.

A huge opportunity on the next point as a horrible miscue from Nadal sits up pretty, but Anderson slashes long. That would have been two break points for Anderson.

But, having missed them, he does not get another shot.

We have had 15 points on Rafael Nadal's serve.We have had 42 on Anderson's.

If Anderson can just get to a tie-break shootout...

The South African is halfway there. It has been a right old slog for him though...

Image source, Reuters

Another break point goes begging via a Nadal error.

That is the fourth break chance that has gone down the swanny so far in this set.

Kevin Anderson comes close to sealing the game up with a whopper of a backhand - driven down the line - but Nadal's challenge shows that it was just wide of the whitewash.

We are up to deuce number five.

Rafael Nadal skips and shrieks with delight as he somehow claws back a high-kicking air-splitting Kevin Anderson serve and then wraps a pass around his man and in for 30-30.

That was a textbook solution to the Anderson serve.

Anderson into the net and break point Nadal.

But the Spaniard - perhaps a little tight as he hunts the first break with a potential tie-break poking its head over the horizon - shanks his return long.

Deuce.

Image source, Reuters

Rafael Nadal, by contrast, rattles through a hold to love to turn the spotlight straight back on Kevin Anderson.

Thomas: Anderson needs to throw everything he has at this match; with Novak/Murray/Stan returning in January he may not get another shot.

Image source, Getty Images

Six deuces, two break points saved and more than 10 minutes on the clock and Kevin Anderson finally takes the game.

The South African unleashed a couple of corking groundstrokes en route to that hold.

But he is having to paddle like billy-io just to keep his head above water.

Rafael Nadal's wafty return floats over Anderson as the South African shoulders arms thinking it is going wide.

But he is wrong. It lands in. Break point.

Nadal drills into the top of the net as he goes down the line.

Anderson was not getting there, but he is saved by the gauze.

A big Anderson serve redeems another break point.

Image source, EPA

Rafael Nadal matches Kevin Anderson to 30-30.

The South African misses his first serve. And we are into a rally.

But Nadal pushes his backhand wide as he tries to do too much.

He can beat Anderson off the floor without the need to go hunting the lines.

It is a lesson learned quick.

Nadal fires, deep, central and strong to bring up deuce.

In contrast to Kevin Anderson's precision bombs, Rafael Nadal misses all five of his first serves in his opening serve games.

And he holds to 15.

Plenty of room for improvement. Anderson needs to strike while the Spaniard gets up to speed.

Image source, AFP

Pat Cash and Jeff Tarango have got the dress code memo in the BBC Radio 5 live commentary box.

Listen to their pearls of wisdom via the top of this page or your wireless.

Jeff Tarango
Former professional tennis player on 5 live at Flushing Meadows

For me, in your first game, in your first final to hit the big serve down the middle just shows he isn’t as nervous as people thought he was.

Two big serves, firing off wide towards the front rows and out of Rafa's reach, buy Kevin Anderson a free pass to the game.

That is the good news for the South African.

The bad news is that despite landing seven out of his eight serves and hitting two aces, he was still taken to deuce.

He has set a stratospheric standard of serving and will need to continue it.

Image source, EPA

Kevin Anderson gets the run-around on the match's opening point, flaying his forehand for all he is worth, but undone by the touch and angles of the Spanish world number one.

Anderson dusts off two big serves to move to 30-15.

But as soon as a rally breaks out Rafa is top dog. He drills a forehand straight at Anderson at the net and the South African clumps his volley long.

And, as a backhand flies long, Anderson finds himself dragged down to deuce town.

Pat Cash
Former Wimbledon champion on BBC Radio 5 live

Anderson's got to smoke some serves. He does have a big serve and if the guy serves 30 aces he’ll stay in this match.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Anderson takes a set, maybe even two. I don’t think he’ll win but it will be an interesting match.

The last few practice serves are bashed down and Rafael Nadal and Kevin Anderson take a last trip back to the stools to sip some isotonic and check the contents of their racquet bags.

Anderson steps up to the oche.

Here we go...