Listen to that growl! Alexei Popyrin celebrates as Rafael Nadal punches long and the Australian breaks. Brilliant.

Oh wow. Now he's going stroke for stroke with Nadal! Popyrin clips an angled forehand and then wins the point with a backhand into the space vacated by the Spaniard. Two break points at 15-40.

Rafael Nadal is having to work for it now. Alexei Popyrin is going for the big-hitting, get it done and dusted early approach and it's working as he sweeps another forehand winner beyond the Spaniard. 15-30.

Alexei Popyrin is rolling out the love holds, it's just until he went two sets down to string them together.

Laura Robson
Former British number one on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

You desperately want Popyrin to come out with something unbelievable there because he's worked so hard. Definitely a better start to set three than set two.

Still looking much more competitive than it was.

Brilliant. That's unreal from Rafael Nadal as he lifts a backhand winner barely over the net and along the clay on the other side to hold.

Fist pump from Rafael Nadal after he puts that fire out with some leaping groundstrokes and Alexei Popyrin can only punch into the gauze. Break point saved by the Spaniard.

And now a chance to break for the 21-year-old...

He's had a burst of energy in this third set.

Pick that one out.... that's what he was trying a moment ago! Lovely drop volley from Alexei Popyrin, almost playing it around his ankles. The pressure is off for the Australian now.

Unlucky! Alexei Popyrin comes rushing to the net, flicks a drop over the tape and gets the chills as Rafael Nadal comes darting in to pick it up. The Australian gets strings to his return but can only guide the fluff wide. 15-15.

Naomi Cavaday
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra commentator

Nadal back so deep in the court - and he's aced!

He can't get that one back.

Eighth ace for Popyrin and would really change the energy of the set if he can stay with Nadal after the second set went away so quickly.

While Rafael Nadal appears to be coasting towards the second round, it wasn't quite as straightforward for another former champion on Chatrier earlier.

Ashleigh Barty returned to Roland Garros for the first time since winning the 2019 title and needed three sets to see off American opponent Bernarda Pera.

But the most worrying thing for the Australian world number one was the treatment she needed for a hip injury at the end of the second set.

"It's going to be a little bit tough this week. Over the weekend we had a bit of a flare-up through my left hip, which obviously just needed a bit of help today.

"I'm not going to hide behind the fact I'm not quite 100% but I can guarantee that I will go out there with the right attitude every day and be really accepting of that and give it a crack no matter what."

Image source, Getty Images

Popyrin is stringing together some neat combinations when he can engage Nadal in the point. The Australian gets the veteran Spaniard on the run and finishes off the rally with a smash at the net.

He whistles to 40-0 and holds with successive aces.

Relentless from Rafael Nadal. He'll want to come through this one as quickly as possible and rattles his way to 40-0 before stinging a backhand winner that scorches across the clay to hold.

And the Australian is on the board in the third set. Good stuff.

Zinger. Alexei Popyrin can generate some serious power on that forehand, coming on to it at such height, and he rips one beyond Rafael Nadal for 40-15.

Back under way here, with Rafael Nadal looking to wrap up his spot in the second round.

Laura Robson
Former British number one on BBC Radio 5 Live

“In tennis, the situation, week in, week out, for who travels for tennis journalism, it’s very different at a Grand Slam where you’ve got people who are allowed to ask questions in a press conference who really don’t know a lot about the sport or a lot about who they are interviewing.

“I’ve had a situation before where someone asked me why I didn’t wave to the crowd and I was like ‘well, I lost, why would I do that?’

“I think if there’s a bit more knowledge from people in the room or maybe we restrict it to people who travel week in, week out with the players and have a bit more understanding, that might improve the situation but it’s a difficult one.

“It’s tough to find the right balance because we want to grow the sport and get more people writing about it, not less.

“The rule [for the time period after a match before a press conference] officially is 30 minutes. In my experience and most players’ experience, they never enforce that. If you say ‘look I want two hours, I’m just not ready, I’m not emotionally up to it yet,’ they [the WTA] have always been accommodating.

“For example, yesterday, Heather Watson requested 90 minutes before hers and that was no issue."

Naomi Cavaday
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra commentator

There are quite a few. The WTA have actually looked after players' mental health long before this was a topic in open conversation, round the world.

They’ve had the age eligibility rule where you can’t over-compete when you’re too young. They have lots of things in place.

Really, if any player spoke to the WTA or the Grand Slam organisations and said ‘I’m really struggling, this is going to be pretty distressing for me’ or a member of your team went on your behalf, they would absolutely be trying to find some sort of short term resolution to get you though that event and then look at potentially longer term, some of the coaching that Jo was talking about in terms of how you can deal with it more in the long term.

And there are example of times when players have been allowed to miss press conferences without penalty.

Laura Robson
Former British number one on BBC Radio 5 Live

“It definitely can be quite overwhelming especially some of the settings you’re in, where you’re at the bottom with all of the spotlights on you and then all the journalists sort of sit above you.

“But I think this can open up a much wider conversation on how the process can be improved and things on both sides can be looked at as a way to deal with these press conferences better.

“With Osaka and other people who are struggling, I think, absolutely, you don’t put them in any situation that’s going to make you feel really uncomfortable and really unsupported.

“Maybe the answer is for the first couple of rounds of a Slam you get someone in from the player’s team in the press conference room instead, answering the same questions, with similar insight.

“I mean they know exactly what’s happened out there and it just takes some of the pressure off the player, they are able to focus on their tennis, especially in the first week, when there is so much going on.

“I really don’t think there’s an easy answer here but, absolutely, mental health should be the main priority."