Hello everyone. The first Grand Slam of 2015 is here, and Sports Mole will be guiding you through all of the action from the Australian Open over the next fortnight. The opening day's first matches are just about to get underway in Melbourne. We'll have news, results and live text coverage of some of the biggest matches on this blog throughout the day.

There's plenty of action ahead of us today. We'll keep you up to date with all of the big results, but of course, the stars will be taking centre stage later on. Andy Murray is set to be on court at 1.30am (UK time)against qualifier Yuki Bhambri, while Rafael Nadal will be coming up against Mikhail Youzhny. Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova will both be in the Rod Laver Arena for the night session.

There is plenty of tennis to be played before the aforementioned quartet get their rackets out of the bag. Third seed Simona Halep has kicked off her campaign against Karin Knapp, while Grigor Dimitrov has just won the first game in his meeting with Dustin Brown in what could be one of the most exciting matches of the round.

The odds may be stacked against Yuki Bhambri ahead of his meeting with sixth seed and three-time finalist Andy Murray, but the world number 314 claims that he will play with no fear against the Scot in just over an hour.

As you can see from the previous post, Rafael Nadal is still attracting plenty of attention from tennis fans all over the world, but the Spaniard has played down his chances of winning the tournament. Appendicitis and a long-standing wrist problem kept Nadal out for long spells of last season, and he believes that he is not one of the favourites.

UPDATE: The first set of this year's Australian Open has been won by Grigor Dimitrov, who looked in great touch as he took the opener 6-2 against Dustin Brown. That looked a tricky draw, but the Bulgarian has started superbly.

If you want to keep an eye on the results from the big matches in Melbourne, take a look at our live scores page throughout the day.

Can Stanislas Wawrinka do it again? It's difficult to remember a more popular winner than last year's champion. It's going to take a special effort, but he'll be delighted to be back in Melbourne.

RESULT! Third seed Simona Halep is fancied by many to make a strong bid for the title this year, and she has started her campaign with a straight sets win over Karin Knapp.

Jarmila Gajdosova has just beaten Alexandra Dulgheru 6-3 6-4 on the Margaret Court Arena. OK, that's not a result which will steal many headlines, but it does mean that Murray is next up on court.

Before we go any further, let's give you a few more details about Yuki Bhambri, who faces Murray in the first round. Bhambri is a 22-year-old Indian who earned his spot by progressing through the qualifying rounds. He does have fond memories of Melbourne thanks to his triumph in the 2009 Australian Open as a junior. This is his first appearance in the main draw of a Grand Slam.

Is this finally the year for Murray in Melbourne? Three losing appearances in the final have hit the Scot hard, and he was searching for his best form for much of last year after back surgery. He arrives at the event in good spirits after making a promising start to 2015. Apparently Rafael Nadal has been no match for him in a couple of practice games, but he must now show his best form when it matters as he looks for a second Grand Slam title.

Murray and Bhambri are out on court. The Indian has elected to receive first after winning the toss. We're just a few practice rallies away from the start of this match.

Here we go then. Murray is all set to get the match underway on Margaret Court Arena.

It's a confident start for Bhambri as he matches Murray shot for shot before picking up the first point when the sixth seed slices a backhand wide. Murray then picks up his first point in fortuitous thanks to a lucky flick off the net, and he follows that with an ace and another unreturned serve. The first game is Murray's when Bhambri hits a forehand long while attempting to return another good serve from the Scot.

Bhambri displays his confidence by coming to the net to volley after sending Murray wide on the first point. A forehand into the net makes it 15-15, but Bhambri goes back in front by firing a volley past his rival after bringing him forward with a drop shot. Another forehand into the net levels the scores again, but an unforced error from Murray is met by a groan from the British number one. Superb! Murray makes it deuce with a perfect lob shot as Bhambri attempts to come to the net again. However, a couple of wayward forehands allows Bhambri to hold. That should give him confidence.

Murray goes 15-0 up with a powerful forehand, but Bhambri once again proves that he will be no pushover by covering the court well before finishing a rally with another volley. Ace! That's a good response from Murray. Bhambri then loses his shape to send a backhand well wide of the intended target. Another wayward ground stroke hands Murray the game after a good second serve.

BREAK! Bhambri finds himself 30-0 up quickly, with the second point arriving courtesy of a perfect forehand after a wider serve. A double fault follows to halt his progress. The crowd are involved in the next rally as Bhambri moves Murray around the court before hammering home the smash after his opponent had caught up to the lob. Bhambri goes a foot too long with a backhand, and another unforced error makes it deuce. A chance for Murray? Absolutely. The Scot changes his pace nicely in the rally as Bhambri strikes the net with a backhand. The first break point is taken when Bhabri finds the net once again. Murray makes the breakthrough.

Murray has found his rhythm on serve it appears, with gasps coming from the crowd as couple of big deliveries put him 30-0 up. The Scot then has his rival moving across the baseline, which results in Bhambri stretching to send a backhand into the net. Good work from Murray as another couple of powerful strokes puts the pressure on Bhambri, who finds the net again to hand the sixth seed a 4-1 lead.

Murray uses the second serve to take control of the rally, but he's too over-eager to find the winner as he fires a backhand into the net. Bhambri's attempt at a cheeky drop ends with the ball drifting wide. The first groan of the day from Bhambri arrives when another unforced error gifts a point to Murray. However, he holds his nerve well to make it 30-30 with the smash. Murray then tries the impossible by chasing down what looks like a lost cause, but his backhand is too long. Bhambri continues to struggle with his first serve, but a wide forehand from Murray allows him to win the game.

BREAK! Murray will be happy with how he has started on serve. Another big one makes it impossible for Bhambri to return a forehand. The Indian latches onto a second serve to get a point back, before another stroke into the net hands Murray a 30-15 lead. There's certainly not much wrong with Bhambri in the longer rallies. Murray can only helplessly watch on from the other side of the baseline as forehand winner brings applause from the crowd. An unforced error each takes the game to deuce, and a poor forehand into the net gifts a break point to Bhambri. He converts! Murray moves forward for the first time, but he can only volley into the net. Excellent work from Bhambri.

BREAK! Murray is starting to look frustrated as he sends a forehand wide. However, he's treated to an easy point when Bhambri sets him up for the easy volley at the net. Bhambri responds with his first ace of the day. A backhand from the Indian strikes the net post to fool Murray, who quickly readjusts to power a forehand winner. He finds a break point with an even better shot as a passing backhand leaves Bhambri swinging at thin air. Wow! Murray is celebrating early when Bhambri miscues a shot, but the ball drops on the line, and the Scot's challenge is unsuccessful. Another chance arrives quick as Bhambri's drop shot drifts wide. No mistake this time. A wayward back hand gifts the advantage to Murray. He'll serve for the set.

SET! Bhambri is happy to sit back and unleash some big forehands, but his accuracy is off as Murray moves 30-0 up before finding set point with an unreturned serve. Ace! Murray takes the opener with a perfect serve down the middle. It's an even tougher task for Bhambri now.

Murray is still finding his rhythm, but the result is all that matters today. Bhambri has managed to show some nice touches in different areas of the court. However, Murray has been too strong so far.

Lovely from Bhambri, who displays his confidence at the net by volleying powerfully after sending Murray wide with the forehand. A lazy stroke moments later is not good enough. Bhambri is struggling with the unforced errors at the moment. He's back in front with a brilliant drop volley, but a backhand into the net leaves him frustrated at 30-30. No joy for Murray, though, as Bhambri comes back well to hold.

Murray fancies his chances with the forehand when the ball sits up for him, but he goes too long. Bhambri can't connect properly with a powerful serve. 15-15. Murray then looks to his team in the stands when he finds the net halfway up with a poor forehand. The serve gets him back level as he sends down another ace. Bhambri does well to return a couple of volleys, and his reward is a break point when Murray goes long again. Poor from the Scot, who should have put it away with ease. An ace arrives to make it deuce. Bhambri attempts to take control, but an unforced error and another ace from Murray decides the game.

Great tennis from Bhambri as he shifts Murray from side to side before delivering a winner with the forehand. A couple of drop shots make life difficult for Murray on the next point, and the Indian is rewarded again. Murray decides his opponent is having too much fun, and he picks the serve to unleash a powerful forehand winner. An overhead smash sends more cheers to the direction of the qualifier, but Murray manages to pull a point back before hitting another aggressive forehand to force deuce. A miscued forehand closes the door on the Scot for a moment until another winner on the forehand side pegs back Bhambri. The half chances aren't taken, and Bhambri holds on to take the game.

There's some great hitting on show in the opening rally, but Murray shows signs of finding another gear with a perfect forehand winner down the line. Bhambri can then only send an attempted return of serve wide. Serving doesn't seem to be a problem for Murray, who fires down another ace before taking the game with another unreturned serve. Much better from the sixth seed.

Murray is starting to dictate the tempo now, and he is 0-30 up in a flash when another brilliant forehand leaves Bhambri helpless. The aim is off moments later when he finds the net on the stretch, and Bhambri is level when Murray fails to return a wider serve. A powerful serve down the line brings similar results for the Indian, but he can't finish the job off as he hammers a forehand into the net. He responds impressively with a powerful stroke which Murray can't return, and a big serve allows him to edge ahead in the second set.

Murray is currently getting 79% of his first serves in, which will be a great boost for the sixth seed. Bhambri responds to losing the first point by giving Murray no chance with a thunderous deep forehand. A clever second serve from Murray restores his advantage, and Bhambri sends another return wide. Bhambri comes to the net again, but his position is poor as he fails to get the volley over.

BREAK! Wow! Murray delights the crowd by running across the whole court to deliver the perfect backhand winner on the stretch. It doesn't get much better than that. A half chance present itself when an unforced error makes it 0-30. Bhambri gets back one point with an unreturned serve, but a wide forehand gifts Murray a couple of break points. Murray uses the lob well to take control of the next rally and his patient wait for an error is rewarded as Bhambri goes long with the forehand.

Bhambri does well to reach a wide serve and return it into a good position, which forces Murray into an awkward shot. It's 0-30 when an unforced error from Murray opens the door, but he responds well with a sliced serve for a sixth ace. However, a superb return of serve moments later gets Bhambri back in front as Murray sends a backhand wide to hand his rival a couple of break points. He pulls one back with a brilliant cross-court backhand, and a mistimed slice from Bhambri forces deuce. Murray then comes to the net, which forces Bhambri into a difficult lob. No luck for the qualifier. A seventh ace does the trick as Murray digs himself out of trouble.

Bhambri certainly has some shots, and a messy start to the game is forgotten when he hits the perfect spot with a forehand winner. An ace down the line makes it 40-15, before an unforced error from Murray keeps this second set going.

SET! There's not many players better on the run than Murray, who is on his way into the stands as he unleashes another forehand winner. A sliced second serve leaves Bhambri frustrated as he strikes the net with a return, but he latches onto a shorter serve to make it 30-15. Another change of pace mid-rally surprises Bhambri, whose backhand into the net gives Murray two set points. Can he convert? You bet. Bhambri goes long with a backhand and Murray takes another step towards the second round.

RESULT! It wouldn't be the opening day of a Grand Slam without an upset. Fifth seed Ana Ivanovic is out after throwing away an early lead to lose 1-6 6-3 6-2. It's a big shock in the first round.

An unforced error from Murray is followed by a double fault from Bhambri, who is back ahead when Murray's backhand drifts just wide. There's just been too many errors from Bhambri, and another shot into the net brings a groan from the qualifier. He responds well, though, to get on the board in the third set.

A deflection off the top of the net gives control of the rally to Bhambri, but he wastes the advantage by sending a backhand long. He then attempts to return a second serve with the winner with a big forehand which drifts just wide. Murray then treats the crowd by whipping a forehand around the post for another winner. A fourth love game is secured when Bhambri hits the net with his backhand.

Despite the lead, Murray is getting frustrated with a few of the sloppy mistakes he has made in this match. A couple of frustrated looks to his team in the stand follow as Bhambri quickly races into a 40-0 lead. An unforced error opens the door slightly. The powerful backhand from Murray stretches Bhambri, and he finishes the rally with an easy forehand to pull back another point. Another poor forehand from Bhambri goes long to bring up deuce. Murray challenges when Bhambri sends down an ace, but hawkeye sides with the Indian. A venture into the net puts the pressure on Bhambri, who sends a cross-court backhand wide. Murray can't help but shout at himself when he hits the net attempting to punish Bhambri's second serve, but his mood improves thanks to an excellent forehand on the stretch. Deuce arrives again, and Bhambri edges ahead with an overhead smash. The longest game of the match comes to an end when Murray's unforced error allows Bhambri to hold.

BREAK! Sloppy start to the game from Murray as he hits the net with a backhand after a weak second serve. Bhambri puts more pressure on with a superb forehand winner to leave his rival stretching on the baseline. Murray responds by finding the line after Bhambri had come to the net. A big serve out wide is unreturned, and the score is level. However, the break point is offered to Bhambri when Murray sends a backhand wide. Well, that's harsh on Murray! A volley from Bhambri kisses the top of the net, and he raises his hand after breaking his opponent.

Murray needs to produce a response now. Both players go long with the backhand at the start of the new game, but Murray edges ahead when Bhambri fires wide with the backhand once again. The Indian then guesses correctly at the net with a superb reflex volley to beat Murray. However, the chance to break back presents itself when Bhambri finds the net moments later. Bhambri comes in again to leave a big gap open, but Murray misses the target with the forehand. Deuce. Both players then find the net with backhands. Murray gets a chance on second serve, but his backhand drifts a few inches too long. Murray hits the net again before throwing his towel down in disgust. Bhambri is still in this match.

Murray starts a new game with his eighth ace of the match. Bhambri quickly replies, but he's behind again when another wayward backhand sails wide of the mark. The former junior champion in Melbourne attacks a fast serve with a stroke that goes long and Murray then wraps up a very quick game.

BREAK! Bhambri shows glimpses of brilliance, but he makes too many mistakes as he starts the game with an unforced error. The Indian then needs two attempts with the volley to win the next rally, before Murray does his best Boris Becker impression by lunging to his right to get a volley of his own over the net. Another error gifts Murrray a couple of break points. It's a chance he takes with a superb passing forehand when Bhambri misses a big opportunity to kill the rally off early on.

Murray kicks off the game with serve number nine of the match. Bhambri has his opponent stretching again, and Murray can only hit the net with a miscued forehand. How do you respond? A 10th ace, of course. The next serve is too hot to handle and Bhambri can't return. Murray comes in for the serve and volley, but Bhambri catches him out with the perfect lob. The door is firmly shut when Bhambri fires a wayward forehand wide.

Murray steps in to meet a second serve with a backhand which drifts a foot wide of the line. Some good work in the next rally hands the control to Murray, who is frustrated again when a forehand goes long. The errors creep in again as two mistakes from Bhambri make it 30-30. He hits back with a fine forehand to give Murray no chance on the stretch, and the game belongs to the Indian when his opponent hits the net chasing another powerful ground stroke.

Lovely one-two from Murray as he follows the wide serve with a brilliant forehand down the line. Bhambri responds by stepping into the second serve with a backhand return winner. The high-quality game continues as Murray shifts his feet to hit back with a backhand winner and an 11th ace. It's 5-5 when Murray catches a poor drop shot to fire into a wide open space.

Bhambri starts a new service game with an ace down the middle, but he's shaking his head when a lazy forehand misses the baseline. Murray manages to reach a ball on the stretch with a high return. Bhambri decides against volleying and he's rewarded when the ball bounces out. An angry shout from Murray follows when Bhambri allows a strong service return pass through his legs. The forehand winner looks to be on at 40-15, but the execution from Bhambri is poor. Bhambri holds his nerve on the long rally as Murray blinks with a backhand into the net.

Bhambri forces the issue too early as he sends a difficult forehand wide and long of its intended target. Murray isn't sure what to say when he strikes the net with a backhand, and he looks quizzically at the racket for a moment. A lovely cross-court backhand kisses the line and he's then 40-15 ahead thanks to Bhambri's unforced error. Another ace. Time for a tie-break.

GAME, SET, MATCH! Awful start to the tie-break for Bhambri as he delivers his third double fault of the match. In the blink of an eye Murray suddenly leads 3-0. Despite Murray's determination, Bhambri recovers well to reduce the deficit with a couple of points on serve. Bhambri takes control on Murray's second serve, but a powerful forehand from the Scot means his opponent can only get half a racket on the ball while stretching on the backhand. 4-2 to Murray. A quick change of ends is followed by an ace on the second serve from Murray. The sixth seed then brings up four match points when his powerful forehand is only returned into the net. Bhambri saves the first one with a big serve and forehand combination. It doesn't matter though! Murray wins the tie-break 7-3 when Bhambri goes long with the backhand. The British number one books his spot in the second round.

Murray is through, and that's all that matters. It wasn't a vintage performance from the Scot, but he displayed good rhythm at times against an opponent who committed far too many errors to remain competitive. Bhambri attacked Murray though, and he deserves credit. Murray will be pleased, but bigger challenges await him.

Murray is into the second round, and you can now read Darren Plant's report of the Scot's triumph on the opening day of the Australian Open.

UPDATE: Rafael Nadal was given a potentially trick first-round opponent in Mikhail Youzhny, but he has started the tournament confidently by taking the opening set 6-3 against the Russian.

28th seed Sabine Lisicki has followed Ivanovic in crashing out of the first round after losing 6-4 4-6 6-2 to Kristina Mladenovic, who was a mixed doubles champion here last year.

Now that Andy Murray has sealed his passage through to the next round, we turn our attentions to Nadal's contest with Youzhny. As we have already mentioned, he wrapped up the first set 6-3 and he has soon moved up a break in the second.

Nadal said in the buildup to this match that he didn't feel like he was ready to win the title in Melbourne this year, but so far, he's looking very good against the experienced Russian. A hold to love sees the Spaniard regain his three-game lead in this set.

Youzhny manages a solid hold to 30 but you get the feeling that this set is over with unless Nadal's level drops substantially.

Youzhny thinks that he has an opening when he gets to 15-15 on the Nadal serve, but the left-hander is producing some ruthlessly efficient tennis and he holds to 15 with a authoritative smash on the back foot.

SET! Nadal really is on the offensive here and two blistering forehands take him to within two points of the set. Youzhny manages to get to game point but Nadal isn't in the mood to let the Russian off, and after seeing one set point go by, he takes a second when Youzhny sends the ball into the net.

Nadal just keeps on rolling. Youzhny barely gets a sniff as Nadal holds to love by finishing the game off with a stunning cross-court forehand winner. You just can't see a way back for the Russian.

Youzhny starts the game with a couple of big serves, the second of which is an ace out wide. Nadal manages to stay in the third rally, and Youzhny makes the mistake of missing with the forehand. It's the Spaniard who commits the same error moments later. A superb return of serve has Youzhny on the ropes, and Nadal takes advantage with another forehand winner. The Russian's next unforced error brings up deuce, but Nadal then misses the baseline with a backhand as he looked to attack the second serve. Youzhny manages to hold.

A rare unforced error is all that prevents Nadal from holding to love. Youzhny is pushed from side to side in one remarkable rally, but his effort is left unrewarded as Nadal clips the line with a cross-court backhand. Simply wonderful tennis from the Spaniard. Can he beat that? Of course he can. At 40-15, Nadal is on the ropes running across the baseline, but he powers a forehand down the line to shock his rival again.

RESULT! 20th seed David Goffin has avoided an upset in the first round by beating Michael Russell 6-3 6-3 5-7 6-0. Read the full report from Darren Plant.

Nadal opens the door with a big forehand followed by an error from Youzhny, who is unable to lift a half-volley over the net. However, the Russian makes it 30-30 with a superb volley after reading the backhand. Nadal is in control of the rally again on the next point, but he sends a forehand just wide of the line. The two players trade big backhands before Youzhny finds the net with a lazy stroke. Nadal then finds break point with a superb forehand winner. That wrist looks to be working well today. Youzhny stays in the game by pulling a point back. However, the double fault opens the door again. Nadal's defence is superb as he chases down what appear to be two lost causes, but Youzhny secures the point with a powerful volley. There's a huge cheer and a smile when Youzhny edges ahead with a forehand winner. He manages to claim another big hold.

This crowd are really enjoying the Nadal show. A couple of big fist pumps follow a volley past a helpless Youzhny, and the Spaniard follows that up with an ace. Nadal then unleashes an unstoppable backhand winner. No reply from Youzhny as his own backhand drifts out to give Nadal the game.

BREAK! Youzhny starts a new game with a serve and volley, but Nadal reads the angles perfectly to sprint across the court for an easy winner. A weak second serve allows him to then return with a powerful forehand. 0-30. It's three break points to Nadal when Youzhny miscues a defensive slice. Oh dear. Youzhny delivers the double fault and Nadal is another step closer to the second round.

Superb from both players. Youzhny almost falls over trying to catch one ball, before appearing to take control. However, Nadal hits back with the volley for 15-0. He's looking pumped up. Almost inevitably, the ace follows the big rally. Nadal dips into his bag of tricks once again with an overhead smash. The progress is suddenly halted by a double fault, but the third seed secures the game on the next point.

GAME, SET, MATCH! Youzhny, serving for the match, takes the first point, but a double fault brings Nadal back level. A lazy stroke from the Russian sends the ball high and long. Nadal can sense victory now. It's two match points to the Spaniard when Youzhny hits a forehand wide. Superb finish! Nadal takes the match by following a big forehand with a the perfect volley. He's absolutely thrilled. Is he back?

That was a very, very impressive display from Nadal. After such a difficult time in recent months, it will take a lot for him to believe that he can win the tournament, but that's a superb way to start. His movement across the court was excellent, and his confidence appears to have returned. Nadal may have found his form at the perfect time. Whisper it quietly!

RESULT! Another one of the top seeds booked their spot as the Nadal match was coming to an end. Tomas Berdych, who made it to the last four in 2014, recorded a comfortable 6-3 7-6 6-3 win over Alejandro Falla.

Missed any of the Nadal match? Read Darren Plant's full report of the 2009 champion's impressive display against Youzhny in Melbourne.

If you missed it earlier on, fifth seed Ana Ivanovic saw her bid for glory end in disappointment as Lucie Hradecka produced a shock to claim a 1-6 6-3 6-2 victory in the first round.

After the match, Ivanovic told reporters: "I think, the whole match, I didn't really feel like myself out there. It was really tough for me to find rhythm a little bit. In the third set it really felt like she raised her level. I really today struggled to find rhythm. Just a little bit lost."

After booking his spot in round two of the competition, Andy Murray paid tribute to his opponent Yuki Bhambri for his performance on the Margaret Court Arena. At times it was the simple stuff which Bhambri seemed to do wrong, but some of his stroke play was a joy to watch.

Does Grigor Dimitrov look happy below? Well, a straight sets victory in 69 minutes will produce that reaction. The Bulgarian was in dominant mood against Dustin Brown earlier today, and he was understandably delighted when reflecting on his performance.

SHOCK RESULT! We have another surprise exit on day one of the Australian Open. In the women's draw, ninth seed Angelique Kerber has suffered defeat at the hands of world number 42 Irina-Camelia Begu. That result follows Ana Ivanovic's loss earlier in the day.

RESULT! Eduoard Roger-Vasselin has been handed an easy passage into the second round after Tommy Robredo retired injured five games into their match. Robredo has been struggling with a leg problem in recent days, so it's safe to assume that it was a reoccurrence of that injury.

Tomas Berdych was tested by Alejandro Falla earlier today, but he came through the challenge impressively with a straight sets victory, and he admits that it was pleasing to perform so well at the start of the tournament.

Roger Federer's meeting with Yen-Hsun Lu is around 30 minutes away. Can the 33-year-old win in Melbourne for the fifth time? It would be a remarkable achievement, but you won't catch many people doubting him.

Doubts about his fitness have dominated Rafael Nadal's preparations for the tournament, but the Spaniard was in superb form as he beat Mikhail Youzhny in straight sets earlier in the day. The third seed admitted after the match that he gained a lot of confidence from the performance.

What doe we know about Yen-Hsun Lu? The 31-year-old from Taiwan faces a huge challenge today as he takes on arguably the greatest player ever in Roger Federer. However, this wouldn't be the first time he's shocked a top seed in a Grand Slam. If you recognise the name it's because he was a quarter-finalist at Wimbledon in 2010. In that tournament he upset Andy Roddick in the fourth round to become the first player from his country to reach the last-eight of a Grand Slam. Can he repeat the trick today?

As in every tournament, Federer boasts an incredible record at the Australian Open. The second seed has reached the semi-finals in each of the last 11 years, and he is looking to lift the title for a fifth time. Novak Djkovic is looking to do the same. Will this tournament turn into a shootout between the top two seeds?

RESULT! Ekaterina Makarova is through. On a day when six other seeds have fallen in the women's draw, the two-time quarter-finalist recorded a comfortable 6-2 6-2 victory over An-Sophie Mestach.

Here's surely the picture of the day. Can Nadal return to top form in emphatic fashion over the next fortnight? He looked in good touch earlier today.

Roger Federer has just made his way onto the Rod Laver Arena court ready for his first round match against Yen-Hsun Lu. We'll have live updates throughout the match as the world number two looks to end a run of the three years without a Grand Slam title.

The winner of this match faces the winner from the clash between Argentina's Juan Monaco and Simone Bolelli of Italy. At the moment, it's all square in the first set between those two on court six.

There's a few other seeds still to play this morning. Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard has just started her warm up on the Margaret Court Arena, while Ernests Gulbis is a break down in the first set of his match. After Federer, Maria Sharapova will take to the Rod Laver Arena to get her Australian Open campaign underway.

Federer and Lu are ready to go, with the Taiwan player to serve first.

Federer immediately puts his opponents under pressure, coming in off the baseline to bring up two break points. Lu raises his game though, forcing a wide forehand from the Swiss before beating him with a volley. He saves another couple of break points after taking the game to deuce before finally forcing an advantage for himself, and he converts to escape the first game with his serve intact.

Federer looks in a hurry in his first service game, coming in to fire a cross-court forehand past his opponent on his way to a 40-0 lead, but he gives Lu a chance with a poor forehand to the sideline. He makes amends on the next point though with the first ace of the match.

Federer's forehand looks superb as he picks out the sideline again to take a 0-30 lead, putting Lu's serve under pressure. The second seed pushes a it too hard though, making a couple of errors to let Lu back into the game, but he brings up another break point with a stunning backhand down the left sideline, but a wild mis-hit from Federer takes the game to deuce. Lu once again raises his game to force an error from his opponent to get the hold. It looks like Lu is going to have to battle for every game on his own serve though if the start of this match is anything to go by.

Federer looks superb as he quickly wraps up another comfortable hold of serve, barely letting Lu have a shot as he holds to love.

BREAK! Lu looks like he's getting tired already as a string of errors give Federer a 0-40 lead. Lu works hard at the baseline as he tries to save yet more break points, but he overhits his forehand to give Federer the lead for the first time.

Federer has really hit his stride now as he races to another hold. Lu makes some good returns, but Federer's forehand is just that good that the Taiwan player just can't match it. Lu has won just one point in the last three games.

Lu gets back on track with his first easy hold of the match, but with Federer now a break up he isn't as aggressive on the return. Lu wraps it up to love with a well-timed forehand to the baseline to keep him in contention in the first set. He's yet to really test the Federer serve though.

Lu tries to be a little too aggressive as he tries to get the set back on level terms, forcing a couple of returns long after Federer had caught him out with a couple more stunning forehands.

Lu hits a couple of well-placed flat forehands to open up a 40-0 lead, before Federer finds the corner with a stroke down the line, but Lu keeps his nerve with a big serve on the next point, forcing Federer to try and serve for the set next.

SET! After opening with an ace, Federer has to work hard for the second point as Lu stretches him around the court in a 23-shot rally, but Federer eventually takes it with an overhead shot. On set point, he stretches Lu out wide before just guiding the ball down the middle of the court to take the opening after a little over 30 minutes.

While the players take a breather between sets, why not read about Lucie Hradecka's surprise win over fifth seed Ana Ivanovic in the women's singles. The Czech admits that she is still in shock at beating the world number one.

World number 62 Jarmila Gadjosova has insisted that she is "relieved" to claim her first win at the Australian Open in 10 attempts.

Lu makes a bright start to the second set, with an ace taking him to a 40-15 lead before the second seed mis-hit the ball, giving the Taiwan man the game.

Federer comes into the net to try and smash the ball past his opponent, but he gets it all wrong, much to the disappointment of the crowd, who let out a big groan as the shot flies well long. After taking the next two points, Federer tries to wrap up the game with a drop shot, but he can only find the net, before taking it on the next point with a backhand volley close into the net. It looks like Federer is starting to try out a greater variety of shots after easily controlling the first set with his forehand.

Elsewhere, seventh seed in the women's draw Eugenie Bouchard is a set up against Friedsam, while Gulbis came from behind to take the opening set against Kokkinakis.

Federer calls on hawkeye for the first time as he challenges a call on the baseline, and it's surprising that he has to as Lu's shot was well long, but somehow it wasn't spotted by the line judge. Federer punches hard from the baseline to try and get the early break, but Lu hangs on well, resulting in Federer sending a couple of shots long to let his opponents wrap up the game.

There's no defending champion in the ladies singles this year as Li Na retired a few months after taking the crown in Melbourne last year. The 32-year-old is in the city for the tournament though, and revealed to the crowd at the Rod Laver Arena earlier that she is expecting her first child.

Federer isn't hanging around on his service games as he eases to another, firing an ace past Lu on is way. Lu has struggled to get a single point in most of Federer's service games so far, and is yet to get anywhere close to a break point.

BREAK! Federer powers some well-struck returns past Lu to bring up three break points, but he fires long while attempting to wrap up the game before Lu picks out the sideline. Federer prevents the game heading to deuce though as a flat forehand from the Swiss catches Lu out, and he slices the ball into the net to give Federer the break.

Federer is quick to consolidate the break, wrapping up another service game to love. He needed just the one break in the first set, and now that he has one in the second Lu needs to respond, but his returns didn't put Federer under any pressure in that game.

BREAK! Federer is cruising again as he brings up another couple of break points, but an ambitious drop shot fails to clear the net, while another mis-hit costs Federer on the next point, taking the game to deuce. The second seed quickly creates another chance with a backhand volley at the net, and he gets the break when Lu tries to find the very back edge of the baseline, but overcooks the forehand, sending it a fraction long, so Federer will be serving for the set next.

11th seed Ernests Gulbis was a set up a short time ago, but Thanasi Kokkinakis has hit back in style, winning the second 6-0.

SET! Astonishingly, Federer lets Lu get his first break points of the match as he serves for a two-set lead, making two double faults as he slips 15-40 behind. The world number two quickly recovers with some impressive movement behind the baseline to bring up deuce though, before a sliced forehand from Lu drifts wide, giving Federer set point. The Taiwan player's return is called wide on the next point, which Lu challenges, but hawkeye confirms the error to leave Federer just a set from a place in the second round.

One of the other top seeds in Federer's half of the draw is last year's beaten finalist, Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard came through in straight sets against Mikhail Youzhny earlier, and insists that he will keep battling at the tournament, which comes just a couple of months after he suffered a bout of appendicitis.

Lu mixes things up a little at the start of the third set as he tries to give himself some hope in this match. He comes in from the baseline a few times to take the ball early at the net, and the change in pace pays off as he easily takes the first game of the third set.

For just the second time in this match, Lu brings up a break point as he makes the most of a couple of slower serves from his opponent. A good challenge from Federer takes the game to deuce though as Lu fires his forehand a fraction long. The Taiwan player continues to fight for every point though, but wastes his third break point of the game with a poor return. An ace gives Federer a chance to wrap up the game, but he serves up a double fault on the next point. He gets advantage again quickly though, and forces Lu to send a looping forehand well long to escape with his serve intact. That was a pretty scrappy game from the second seed, but somehow he got away it.

The home fans had something to cheer about earlier as Bernard Tomic booked his place in the second round with a four-sets win over Tobias Kamke. The Australian, who was booed off at his home Grand Slam last year following a retirement against Rafael Nadal, admitted that it was "emotional" to get the win.

Lu is not going away, despite being two sets down, as he puts in another strong performance on his own serve for a comfortable hold. So many times you see a player give away a break after coming close to breaking their opponent in the previous game, but Lu shows that he's still got plenty of fight left in him.

Federer has been pretty accurate when asking for the hawkeye review so far, but he finally gets one wrong. He slices his backhand a fraction wide a couple of points later while trying to wrap up the game, giving Lu hopes at 40-30, but Lu puts too much on his forehand to let Federer escape with his serve intact.

Lu hits a stunning ace as he appears to be heading for another easy hold, but Federer gets himself back into the game with some more solid forehands from the baseline. Lu digs deep in a lengthy rally though, perfectly striking his forehand down the line, leaving Federer stretching for the return, but he was unable to get to it in time.

Federer appears to be back on form on serve as a couple of big deliveries from the Swiss are returned well long by Lu before Federer rushes into the net to punch a forehand to the sideline and seal the game.

Having put a somewhat patchy spell behind him, Federer immediately tries to capitalise, attacking from the back of the court to try and force a break. At deuce, he comes in from the back to hit an overhead smash, bringing up the break point, but his forehand goes long on the next point. After a string of chances for both players to wrap up the game, it's Lu who comes out on top with a resilient forehand winner.

In the women's draw, seventh seed Eugenie Bouchard is safely through, beating Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-2 6-4 this morning. The Canadian will face either Kiki Bertens or Daria Gavrilova in the next round.

Federer is certainly back on form in his own service games after some struggles at the start of this set as he races to another hold to love. Lu is battling hard to try and push the second seed, but it looks like he may be starting to tire now.

Lu has looked rock solid on serve in the third set, and he continues to do so with another comfortable hold. Federer tries to extend the game, but his big forehand return has too much on it, going well long. Federer will have to serve to stay in the set next.

It looks like this set could be heading towards a tiebreak as neither player is giving anything away on serve at the minute. Federer cruises to 5-5, holding serve in less than 60 seconds.

BREAK! Federer find his best tennis at the right moment, stretching Lu all around the court with some superb returns to race to 40-0, before a wide forehand from his opponent leaves the second seed serving for the match. Even by Federer's high standards there were some sensational shots in there, including a well-placed forehand down the sideline to bring up the break points.

Federer really did save his best tennis until the end, easing to a 40-0 lead with some impressive movement behind the baseline, while also getting into the net. It was a bright performance from the second seed.

Up next on Rod Laver Arena is Maria Sharapova, who is a former champion at this event. Incidentally, we now know that Federer's second-round opponent will be Bolelli following his four-sets win over Juan Monaco.

If you're just joining us and want to recap Roger Federer's straight-sets win over Yen-Hsun Lu, our match report is now online. You can also see what the second seed had to say about his opponent.

Another player who progressed in straight sets this morning was Andy Murray. He's admitted that he wants to get "a bit better" in his next match.

We told you earlier about Australia's Jarmila Gajdosova, who secured her first win at her home Grand Slam in 10 years. Well, the world number 62 will be up against Simona Halep, who is ranked third in the world, later this week, and she has said that she will "fight" to win the match.

Fifth seed Ana Ivanovic is the biggest name to fall so far, and the Serbian admits that it is "really disappointing" to be out of the event.

UPDATE! After saving four match points, Thanasi Kokkinakis has taken Gulbis to a deciding set in his game against the 11th seed on court three. The Australian wildcard is digging deep! Meanwhile, Maria Sharapova is already a break up in the first set of her match against Petra Martic.

Russian Alexander Kudryavtsev was knocked out by Marinko Matosevic earlier, and he's hit out at the home fans for their vocal support of the Australian during the match.

Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov, who is the 10th seed this year, eased past American Dustin Brown in straight sets this morning, but admits that he found the conditions on the court a little tricky.

Another player through in straight sets earlier was Canadian Eugenie Bouchard. She also highlighted the wind as a bit of a problem, but was happy with her performance.

After taking the opening set 6-4, Sharapova has a break in the second and a 3-0 lead in her match against Petra Martic. It looks like the former champion is racing to a place in the second round. By contrast, Ernest Gulbis's epic five-round encounter with Kokkinakis is continuing, it's 3-3 on serve in the decider.

GAME, SET & MATCH! Maria Sharapova is through to the second round. The Russian eased to a 6-4 6-1 win over Petra Martic of Croatia to set up a meeting with compatriot Alexandra Panova.

Andy Murray's second-round opponent is Australian Marinko Matosevic, who is through to round two at his home Grand Slam for the first time. The 29-year-old insists that he is improving with age.

American Christina McHale progressed to the second round despite falling ill during her match against Stephanie Foretz, vomiting on court during the victory. She says that she was embarrassed by the incident, but happy to be through.

Maria Sharapova has been speaking following her straight sets win over Petra Martic earlier. She believes that her experience in the sport has been "priceless".

GAME, SET & MATCH!
11th seed Ernests Gulbis is out after losing an epic four-hour five-set battle with Aussie teenager Thanasi Kokkinakis.

Here's our match report from that epic encounter between Gulbis and Kokkinakis. The win sets up a second round meeting with fellow Aussie Sam Groth for the teenager.

Speaking of Groth, he claimed his first win at the Australian Open earlier, knocking out Serbia's Filip Krajinovic in straight sets. He says that he's just thankful his serve held strong.

GAME, SET AND MATCH! Australian number one Nick Kyrgios comes through his first-round match against Argentina's Federico Delbonis in five sets 7-6 3-6 6-3 6-7 6-3.

A great way for the opening day to end for the home fans then as Kyrgios joins good friend Kokkinakis in round two, where he will face big-serving Croat Ivo Karlovic (seeded 23).

Click here to read our report on Kyrgios's success right on the stroke of midnight in Melbourne.

There it is then. What a rollercoaster on the opening day of the first Grand Slam of the year. Six, yes SIX, Australian men are through to the second round, despite their top-ranked player being only 19 and not inside the world's top 50. We also saw victories for Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova, but surely the day belongs to 18-year-old Thanasi Kokkinakis, who stunned the 11th seed Ernests Gulbis. Our Aussie Open hub with all of the day's key reports and reaction can be found here. Be sure to join us again later on as we begin live coverage of day two at 12am UK time. You better be there, or we'll set Lucie Safarova on you.