Good second serve from Tsitsipas, into Federer's body, and the Swiss finds the net!

Another break point for Federer, as the Tsitsipas backhand goes wrong.

Tsitsipas smiles wryly up at his player box.

Advantage Tsitsipas thanks to a canny challenge that shows a whippy forehand from Federer has drifted long.

Oh! So close for Tsitsipas as he sends Federer to the left and the ball to the right, but his backhand is just, just long.

Deuce.

Long goes Federer's forehand!

Deuce.

Mark Woodforde
17-time Grand Slam doubles champion on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

We are accustomed to seeing Federer at this level but will Tsitsipas's standard drop?

It only needs a 2% drop to facilitate a service break but I don't see any frailty. He's matching Federer for power and there's a quiet belief about him. He's cool under pressure too.

Image source, EPA

Forehand meets forehand, and it's Tsitsipas who makes the first error.

However, the Greek eats up a short return from Federer, sending a winner fizzing past the Swiss for 15-15.

Hello! Big shout from Federer as he passes Tsitsipas at the next, and it's a rare break point to the Swiss...

There's only been two break points in the match.

That was in the first game. Which was over an hour ago.

Hello! That's a forehand winner and a half from Roger Federer, darting in and whipping the ball cross-court.

Federer challenges correctly on what looks to be a screamer of a passing backhand from Tsitsipas. It's out, that's 40-0, and Federer runs forward to pop home the winner.

Tsitsipas smashes a volley past Federer so violently that it must take a few whiskers off his nose.

Federer has a chunter of his own as he bunts a gimme of a backhand long and another smash volley from Tsitsipas tidies up a hold to 15.

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport at Melbourne Park

Image source, BBC Sport

Among the Greek fans parked in the setting sun and watching the big screen in Melbourne Park’s Garden Square are cousins Nicolette Kordos, Alex Karazisis and Yianni Raptas.

“Melbourne has a huge Greek population - the largest outside Greece I think - so we knew it would be a good atmosphere,” Yianni says.

“Everyone in the Greek community has been talking about it, so the plan to come down here was spread word by mouth.

“I’m not confident Stefanos will win but hopefully he will put up a fight.”

That's exactly what Tsitsipas did in the first set. Can he continue it though and drag Federer into a long scrap?

Great serve and volley from Federer to get this latest game going, angling the ball just too wide of Tsitsipas.

Oh! Tsitsipas flies into a backhand return of serve and Federer watches the ball get walloped past him, before the Swiss makes a meal of a drop shot. 30-0 becomes 30-30.

Serve and volley again from Federer, hurrying a furiously chuntering Tsitsipas, and an ace wraps up the game.

Tsitsipas wins a point up at the net before cracking down two huge aces to hold to love.

A Stefanos Tsitsipas shank thwacks into the umpire's chair to start the second set.

Aggressive from Tsitsipas, but he can't quite control it, and Federer holds to love.

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport at Melbourne Park

Tsitsipas is making Federer wait on the baseline as he fiddles with unwrapping a new racquet. A few groans. Not sure what he has been doing the past few minutes...

Federer is ready. Tsitsipas is making him wait while he reties his bandanna.

I'm not joking. Federer will serve first.

Image source, Getty Images

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport at Melbourne Park

Well, this is not failing to live up to expectations. Laver is gripped. Everyone around the media seats - and in them - is chattering away in-between points, falling deadly silent during them.

Apart from one or two moments, that is. British umpire James Keothavong had to plea for calm at one point, and then someone shouted out in what proved to be the final point.

But the overriding emotion when Federer clinched that 58-minute set (FIFTY-EIGHT) inside Melbourne's centre court was relief.

That was a terrific first set - uncharacteristic from Federer, though, with 15 unforced errors.

People shouting at the tennis is my pet hate. Up there with people who stand up in a middle of the over at the cricket.

Mark Woodforde
17-time Grand Slam doubles champion on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

If I was Tsitsipas I would be absolutely livid because of that one person shouting out during that point.

Roger Federer has won the first set - but that's a horrible way to end it.

Someone in the crowd calls out on a Stefanos Tsitsipas strike - it very clearly isn't out - but it distracts Tsitsipas as he moves forward to play his shot.

He ends up larruping a forehand out of bounds, and the first set goes Federer's way.

Image source, Getty Images

Down the T goes Federer once again, before following it up with a forehand winner.

He's got another set point.