Strange misjudgement from Nadal as he allows a forehand down the line to drop a few inches inside the baseline and pass him for a winner.

Gerasimov goes on to hold, but the Spanish second seed has that one-break advantage.

Gerasimov is really struggling from the back. He's looking for a short point so not to extend the rallies - understandable - but it's leading to errors.

It's deuce as a forehand shot goes wide.

Danger, if you can call it that, is averted.

Two Nadal shots from the baseline in this game have landed that wee bit long.

30s each.

Tension in those strings Rafa?

He loves bouncing that ball before serving, doesn't he?

A flat angled forehand brings up 30-15.

Nadal takes it with a glorious drop, bouncing twice just before the scampering Gerasimov could reach the ball.

Tennis can be that simple folks.

The longest rally of the match - I didn't count the shots - results in an error from the big man and brings up the first break point.

Nadal doesn't seem to having any issues with the balls yet, despite his earlier reservations.

The Spanish 19-time Slam winner races to 40-0 before Gerasimov tip toes to the net for a delicate volleyed winner.

His joy is short lived though after he returns long.

Interesting.

Nadal keeps the rally going and forces a snatchy forehand error from the Belarusian world number 83.

40-30.

He makes no mistake with the second forehand though. Flat and winning-like.

Taking that second set has really fired up Liam Broady - he's broken early in the third against Jiri Vesely.

He is looking really confident against his more experienced opponent. There are 139 places between these two left-handers in the rankings but at the moment you wouldn't know it.

A lovely half-volley at the net by Gerasimov from Nadal's return. I won't type "great touch for a big man". So cliched.

15-0.

Another easy service hold. It probably won't take long to get through this set.

Nadal took his time there to deliver that first serve...hmmm...

Gerasimov returns well from the baseline before finding the net with a double hander - you can see his arms becoming progressively weaker as the match progresses.

30-0.

The world number 83 stands at 6ft 5in - not in the same atmosphere as Ivo Karlovic, but like Ivo he packs a big serve.

He wins his first service game to love.

He loses the first point.

It's all over.

He goes again.

Nerves? What nerves?!

Broady raced to 40-0 while serving for the set and has levelled the match with an emphatic ace.

Impressive from the Briton, who - let's remember - has qualified for a main draw at a Grand Slam for the first time.

Image source, Rex Features

Now then.

Rafa likes his balls lighter and not the ones he has to play with in Paris in these cold conditions.

As you already know, they have switched from Babolat to a Wilson variety which has upset both Dan Evans and Nadal so far.

A couple of days ago, Nadal said: “The ball is super slow, heavy. It’s very cold. Slow conditions.”

Let’s see how the Spaniard copes.

Image source, Getty Images

Is Egor Gerasimov getting better with age? That has no doubt been the question on not many’s peoples lips in the world of tennis.

Before you begin tittering, it’s worth pointing out that this 27-year-old reached a career high 65 in the rankings this year having been as low as 170 a year ago.

He reached the final in Pune, the quarter-finals in Marseille - beating David Goffin (although who can’t these days?) en route - and reached the second round at both the Australian Open and US Open. Did you reach the second round of the 2020 US Open, Rafa?

Exactly.