Emma Raducanu vs Shelby Rodgers – Australian Open: Live score and game-by-game updates as former US Open champion makes return following lengthy injury

The Brit lets out a HUGE roar after sealing a break with a cross-court winner.

He feels this is the moment.

Can I also caveat that I don’t want any more commentator curses… seal the deal, Jack.

I remember thinking as a kid that the players were writing on – and ruining – camera lenses after every match.

Expensive business… but here is Victoria Azarenka sending a message to her son Leo after her first round win over Camila Giorgi.

It is very possible that we could see all five Brits navigate their way through to the next round today.

Evans and Raducanu are still to take to their respective courts but Jack Draper is locked in an absolute battle right now.

All on serve at 3-3 in the opening set for Katie Boulter, too.

Of course, Giron breaks right back.

Curse of the live commentator and all that. Bloody hell.

We’ve mentioned a couple of times already how this is brand new territory for the 22-year-old but he’s on a roll here and Marcos Giron looks unable to stop the onslaught.

Draper not counting his chickens yet though…

This is great, and says so much that many of us feel when it comes to Andy Murray.

Make it an essential read over breakfast.

OK, so here is how we stand with the four British players in action:

Jack Draper: He is currently in action and is about to start a fifth set against Marcos Giron. It’s all to play for on Court 8.

Katie Boulter: There is plenty of optimism in the Boulter camp and starting up against China’s Yue Yuan just now, both players have held serve to start us off at 1-1.

Dan Evans: Slated to get going at 6:25am (BST) against Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego. That’s far from a straightforward tournament opener for Evans.

Emma Raducanu: Last on the British card is Raducanu, who is making her return to Grand Slam action. The Kent youngster is due out on Court 2 at around 6:45am.

Giron has been moaning to the umpire about Drapers break earlier in the match when his blood pressure was checked.

Safe to say the American is definitely feeling the heat after getting wallopped in that fourth set.

We have a five-setter on our hands… ooooooh.

This looked easier on paper than it has turned out to be for the Brit but he’s refusing to go away.

He’s just served up a bagel with a 6-0 fourth set. That reminds me… breakfast.

Stepping away from the live action for the briefest of seconds, this is quite a hard watch for all of us Andy Murray fans.

Speaking to Laura Robson after losing his first round match to Tomas Etcheverry – and it was a comprehensive defeat too – Murray seems almost defeated, and I hate to say that.

His voice cracking, here is what he had to say…

For those insomniacs like me that have been with us right the way through this live blog, we’ve been tracking the progress of young Jack Draper.

He dropped the second and third sets in disappointing fashion but this one is far from over.

The Brit has raced into a 3-0 lead in the fourth set and Marcos Giron looks less than comfortable now as he changes his sweat bands.

Draper has never played a full five set match but that is what he wants – and needs – right now if he is to progress.

There really is something to admire that while his rivals stress and agonise over their upcoming matches, Andrey Rublev is out holding a giant snake and petting a koala.

Rublev has got this Australian Open work-life balance down to a tee.

This is totally fair… given Raducanu was initially slated to be on at 5.15am UK time, and now it looks like it will be closer to 7.30am, it’s been a long old morning for a few of us already.

Least we’ve got Jack Draper slugging away. Fear not… (I say through bleary tired eyes)

Our man Mike Dickson is courtside for this Draper match – here is his latest dispatch:

Jack Draper has never played a full five set match before but will need to win one now if he’s going to survive. Been surprised at how well Giron has played, lots of punch from the back of the court.

That’s a body blow for the Brit after looking good level at 3-3.

But you cough up your own serve and you’ll get punished.

American Marcos Giron now a set away from the second round.

I remember live blogging Emma Raducanu’s US Open semi-final against Maria Sakkari where she made a good player look distinctly average. I was in awe (while everyone else in the house was asleep).

Course we know she followed that up by beating Leylah Fernandez, but I remember thinking then that the pressure on Raducanu to match the highest of highs was going to feel like such a burden. And so it proved.

With the heat woe behind him, the 22-year-old – who is an absolute star in the making make no mistake about that – has now just dropped serve in the key third set to go down 4-3.

A double fault as well, what an irritating way to cough up a break.

Work to do now as Marcos Giron takes control…

Emma Raducanu is out on court right now with coach Nick Cavaday, who has done brilliant work in his role as an LTA Master Performance Coach.

It may just be the early alarm but I’m more intrigued by Raducanu’s choice of t-shirt.

What is that cartoon? Or is it contemporary art? Hmm… anyway, Raducanu looks relaxed as she warms herself up for her first round match.

For those that were fast asleep – which if you’re in the UK I’ll safely assume must have been most of you – here is how Cameron Norrie sealed his spot in the second round.

He’s a funny one to predict is Norrie. Could be great, could be out in the early rounds.

Consistency is the big problem.

Draper is back on his feet, back out on court and just rips a forehand cross-court to start the third set.

Panic over ladies and gentlemen…

Mike is right… Draper’s collapse in Miami back in March 2021 doesn’t feel so long ago.

He’s sat down on his bench right now but the TV cameras have cut away for him to get some privacy.

Draper is being tended to by a medic.

Our man Mike Dickson has sent this update through from courtside:

Draper has just had his blood pressure taken and gone off court, it’s about 30 here today and he has had problems in the heat before.

Our man on the ground in Melbourne, Mike Dickson, sat down with Raducanu this week to find out exactly what she’s been thinking en route to this first round match.

Safe to say that the eloquent Raducanu had plenty to say.

Well, British No 1 Cameron Norrie is already THROUGH safely to round two after his 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 win over Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas.

But there are still plenty of Brits still to play on Day 3 of the Championships.

Here is the schedule – roughly as it stands – to mark your card:

Jack Draper: He is currently in action and is about to lose the second set to level up at 1-1. Draper is up against American player Marcos Giron on Court 8.

Katie Boulter: There is plenty of optimism in the Boulter camp and so there is excitement for her to get going, starting up against China’s Yue Yuan at about 5:25am.

Dan Evans: Slated to get going at 6:15am (BST) against Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego. That’s far from a straightforward tournament opener for Evans.

Emma Raducanu: Last on the British card is Raducanu, who is making her return to Grand Slam action. The Kent youngster is due out on Court 2 at around 6:45am.

Right, let’s wrap up some of the results that have already come through in Melbourne.

Former Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin is OUT after losing to world No 1 Iga Swiatek (no real surprise there in her 7-6, 6-2 win).

Danielle Collins has just produced a thrilling fightback against Angelique Kerber to book her place in the second round against Swiatek.

After winning the first set 6-2, Kerber levelled things up with a 6-3 set of her own to send us to a decider. Collins then dominated to win that 6-1.

I was just worried. I started hitting in August and after that, I’d say, the first eight, nine days, I was feeling pain and then it just didn’t go away…

Safe to say that Emma Raducanu had her doubts after suffering injury after Wimbledon during the summer swing.

It’s been a really tough 12 months for Emma Raducanu, what with form going awry and then injuries taking hold.

But there is a smile back on the Brit’s face in the build-up to her tournament opener in Melbourne; a glimmer in the eye once more.

Here, Mats Wilander and Laura Robson give their expert viewpoints on Raducanu and what comes next for her…

The early bird catches the worm when it comes to the Australian Open and so for those of us waking up on UK time to see Emma Raducanu’s tournament-opening match… well played.

We’re still a few hours from the former US Open champion’s match against Shelby Rogers, but there is plenty to get stuck into between now and then.

This feels big for Raducanu. She needs a performance to not only instill belief back into her game but to give her the opportunity to find the rhythm that has made her look so good at times.