First set: Nadal 6-2 Hanfmann* (*denotes next server) Hanfmann, serving to stay in the set, has his head just about above water but is sinking. Nadal has him at 30-40, then deuce, and then another break and set point. At which point Rafa sends down one of those discombobulating backhands that closes out the set. First set: Nadal 5-2 Hanfmann* (*denotes next server) Nadal is not setting the world alight in his own service game though, struggling to get a handle on rallies and finds himself down a break point at 30-40. Hanfmann is helped by the net on one shot but that same net becomes his undoing on the next, as he mismanages Nadal’s slice. Another unforced error later and Nadal is sending down a winner to hold serve. First set: Nadal* 4-2 Hanfmann (*denotes next server) Nadal has a habit of breaking serve when he wins the opening point of his opponent’s service game. Tends to turn the screw a little more. It comes to pass. A crosscourt backhand draws Hanfmann to his right and forward. As he bands and stretches he can’t quite get enough purchase on his shot and it plays right into the hands of Nadal, who deposits a backhand down Hanfmann’s left-hand line to make it 15-40. Another forehand winner later and he wins the game. First set: Nadal 3-2 Hanfmann* (*denotes next server) Bravo! What a rally. What a shot. The pair trade blows before Nadal gets under the ball and whips a precise forehand so low it almost kisses the net and drops into the far service square out of reach. This might have set the tone for the game but Hanfmann clearly has a game plan, and is sticking to it, using his backhand to set up his points, running the Spaniard around the baseline, forcing him to pop up a sitter and coming forward for to put it away. He has the advantage and break point now, too, though it’s short-lived as Nadal saves his own skin and then, himself on the advantage, dispatches an ungettable pile-driver into the back corner. First set: Nadal* 2-2 Hanfmann (*denotes next server) Hello! Well Hanfmann is speeding out to 4o-0 but he can’t quite finish the job because Rafa has other ideas. The German, now at 40-30, is forced to get on the defence and force his opponent into an error. Which he does. First set: Nadal 2-1 Hanfmann* (*denotes next server) Nadal is pushed here, he’s 15-30 down when Hanfmann passes up a golden chance to force break point, hitting the net with an open court to aim at on the volley. The German is made to rue that miss, and Nadal doesn’t err again. The Spanish sixth seed holds, and we’re still on serve. And with that I’ll hand over to Emma Kemp, who is at Melbourne Park, to take you through the next while. First set: *Nadal 1-1 Hanfmann (*denotes next server) So, what has Hanfmann, a big server, got with the ball in hand? Nice work on the opening point, as he gets Nadal running around the baseline before wrongfooting him. We then see an example of the damage his serve can do, a booming unreturnable effort, but he allows Nadal back into the game at deuce. Hanfmann is able to hold though, with Nadal’s attempted drop shot on game point for the German coming up just short. One apiece. First set: Nadal 1-0 Hanfmann* (*denotes next server) Nadal, in his startling purple shirt with white trim, has few issues in the opener. He reaches at the net to play a hyper-extended volley mid-way through this game, eliciting applause from the stands, and otherwise looks comfortable as he opens up a one-game lead. Nadal and Hanfmann are ready to get going. Nadal is bouncing around the baseline, as is his way, before he settles into his service stance. The Spaniard will serve first. Rafael Nadal is next up on Rod Laver Arena, against the German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann. Don’t go anywhere. Earlier, 15th seed Elina Svitolina advanced after Harmony Tan had to leave the court in a wheelchair due to a knee injury sustained when trailing 6-3, 5-7, 5-1. Another Italian, Camila Giorgi, lies in wait for Barty after the 30th seed’s earlier straight win over Tereza Martincova. “She’s an incredible ballstriker one of the most athletic girls out here. Not afraid to stand on the baseline and put you under time pressure from the first strike. I will have to are have my running shoes on get the backhand slice out and bring in variation and see how it goes.” And with that, the world No 1 departs. Of course it’s the Australian Open’s inaugural First Nations Day today, and Barty is asked about her connection to Indigenous tennis icon Evonne Goolagong Cawley. “She’s an incredible human being. I’m extremely lucky to call her a friend and know she’s only a phonecall away. The universe is not far away. We have special anniversaries. We’re connected through our heritage. She’s an incredible woman and paved a path and been able to guide so many of the Indigenous youth coming up in the last however many years throughout her work off the court. I love her to death.” Here’s the royal “we”, so often used by Barty in acknowledgement and appreciation of her team. “We are exactly where we are. I felt like we had a good preparation in Adelaide. We played well, played throughout tough matches. Craig Tyzzer is the master. He’s good in the business and spoilt to have him in my team. Grateful he has the tactical knowledge communication and the way we talk to each other is incredible. He’s going to love he’s on the big screen. I feel like our whole team works extremely well together. We’re enjoying our tennis and being able to produce some pretty good stuff.” Casey Delacqua is speaking on court with Barty. She’s asked about the crowd first up. “Yeah, it was absolutely incredible. She said to me at the net it was a lot of fun out here and enjoyed the experience. You guys have got so much to do with that. Thank you from both of us and genuinely we loved it out here.” Barty beats Bronzetti 6-1, 6-1 Barty’s forehand is in full effect to draw level at 15-15, and then again to bring up two match points soon after. She completes victory in 52 minutes - that’s just 106 minutes she has spent on court in total across her opening two matches! Second set: Barty 6-1, 5-1 Bronzetti* (*denotes next server) Barty throws down a couple of aces but slips up on game point with a loose forehand that lands out. A third ace - her eighth of the day - helps get her back on track, and she’s now just a game away from a place in the third round. Second set: *Barty 6-1, 4-1 Bronzetti (*denotes next server) Bronzetti can count herself unlucky with a net cord that doesn’t help her midway through her service game, and Barty is so ruthless, she takes full advantage. Another break, another game for Barty, and another step closer to victory. They’ve been playing for just 45 minutes. Second set: Barty 6-1, 3-1 Bronzetti* (*denotes next server) A place in the third round mustn’t be too far away for Barty. Another comfortable service game for the Queenslander, who is in complete control here. Second set: *Barty 6-1, 2-1 Bronzetti (*denotes next server) Ah, Bronzetti is broken again, to love, a double fault sealing her fate as the relentless pressure put on her by Barty tells. Unfortunate that the Italian was unable to build on that encouraging opening service game of the second set. Second set: Barty 6-1, 1-1 Bronzetti* (*denotes next server) The TV shows a super slo-mo replay of a Barty overhead and really it’s a thing of beauty. Such poise but also power. Magnificent. The Australian holds again. Second set: *Barty 6-1, 0-1 Bronzetti (*denotes next server) Thanks for that Emma, our woman on the ground at Melbourne Park for the next two weeks or so, of course. Bronzetti shows what she’s capable of again now, forcing Barty back on her heels before finishing off with a powerful forehand winner to open up a 30-0 lead. That’s the pick of the points as the Italian gets on the board at the earliest possible opportunity. It’s all very civilised here at Melbourne Park, certainly in comparison to yesterday, when the boisterous crowds had a field day. Those with ground passes are milling about and watching Barty’s match on the big screen. It is noticeably hotter than the past couple of days, and the wind has picked up a bit. Both of these elements must be being felt on centre court, though Barty of course appears far less troubled than her opponent. First set: Barty 6-1 Bronzetti* (*denotes next server) Barty makes a move towards the net to finish off a with a forehand volley to get up and running as she serves for the set. She follows that up with a delightful drop shot that Bronzetti can only return into the net before bringing up three set points. A double fault blots her copybook slightly but that only delays the inevitable by a moment. Barty races to the opening set in just 26 minutes. First set: *Barty 5-1 Bronzetti (*denotes next server) Again, Bronzetti doesn’t reach a Barty forehand, but she displays a marked improvement from thereon in, playing a couple of nicely constructed points before getting on board with an ace! First set: Barty 5-0 Bronzetti* (*denotes next server) Barty sends down another ace on her way to a five-game lead, sealing the game with a whipped forehand winner that Bronzetti has absolutely no answer to. Pretty one-side stuff out there at the moment. First set: *Barty 4-0 Bronzetti (*denotes next server) Barty’s looking unassailable - she moves to 40-0 baring breaking sweat as Bronzetti struggles to keep pace. The Italian is broken again, and this first set is now appearing to be a formality. First set: Barty 3-0 Bronzetti* (*denotes next server) Barty consolidates that break, but again she’s taken to deuce. And she very nearly faces a break point as Bronzetti does extremely well during a 19-shot rally, before she eventually succumbs, unable to keep a deep return from Barty in. The crowd is sparse in the Rod Laver Arena stands, and noise from them has been limited so far. All very genteel. We’re yet to hear any incidences of the latest fad spreading across Melbourne Park, the only benefit of which may be that it silences the tedious “Aussie, oi” shout. First set: *Barty 2-0 Bronzetti (*denotes next server) Very comfortable for Barty so far, as the world’s top-ranked player opens up her forehand to take a 30-0 lead before going on to break following a Bronzetti double fault. First set: Barty 1-0 Bronzetti* (*denotes next server) Barty is coming off the back of an entirely comfortable 6-0, 6-1 win over Lesia Tsurenko in the opening round but she doesn’t have it all her own way in the opening game here as the pair acquaint themselves. Bronzetti forces a deuce, but Barty emerges unscathed and seals her first service game with the first ace of the day. Barty will serve first. Here we go. Play. Here comes Barty, out into the sunshine bathing Rod Laver Arena. We’ll be under way in her second round match against the qualifier Lucia Bronzetti, currently ranked exactly 142 places behind the world No 1. Bronzetti finds herself in the second round of the Australian Open after a three-set victory of Russia’s Varvara Gracheva in the opening round on Monday. The 23-year-old from Rimini, who is yet to win a title on the WTA Tour, clearly faces a huge test today. Weather update: because who doesn’t enjoy at weather updates, especially when it’s as lovely as it is in Melbourne today? It’s a warm day with the mercury expected to a top of 28C. Play started about an hour and half ago, with two singles matches are already done and dusted - Vika Azarenka has advanced with a straight forward 6-1, 6-2 win over Jil Teichmann, while no 8 seed Paula Badosa was equally efficient in her 6-0, 6-3 victory over Martina Trevisan on Rod Laver Arena, to reach the Australian Open third round for the first time. Preamble Welcome all and sundry to day three of grand slam tennis action at Melbourne Park. Another busy day ahead as the second round gets under way, with plenty to look forward to. We’ll get further looks at the women’s No 1 Ash Barty and grand slam record-chaser Rafa Nadal, with the former up next on Rod Laver Arena and the latter immediately afterwards. The evening session is highlighted by Naomi Osaka, who appears to have rediscovered her love of the game, before a potential ripsnorter between men’s No 3 Alex Zverev and Australian John Millman. In amongst all that, the likes of big names Denis Shapovalov, Barbora Krejcikova, Maria Sakkari and Matteo Berrettini are also all on court throughout the day. Feel free to get in touch with an email or tweet @mike_hytner. Otherwise, let’s get stuck straight in.