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Live Commentary: Andy Murray vs. Vincent Millot - as it happened

Sports Mole brings you live coverage of the Australian Open second round encounter between Andy Murray and Vincent Millot.
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Andy Murray is through to the third round of the Australian Open after he recorded a 6-2 6-2 7-5 win over Vincent Millot.

The world number four was far from his best against the qualifier from France, but he eased through the first two sets on the Rod Laver Arena.

However, Millot stunned Murray by opening up a 5-1 advantage in the third, but after saving a set point, Murray reeled off 23 points in a row to move through to the last 32.

Read below to see how the action unfolded in Melbourne.


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Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole live coverage of the match between Andy Murray and Vincent Millot in the second round of the Australian Open.

The players have made their entrance onto the Rod Laver Arena a little later than planned, but the world number four's second round encounter is finally ready to get underway against the French qualifier.

Fortunately, the temperature has dropped significantly in Melbourne to around 30C. Earlier in the day, the 'extreme heat rule' was put in place as the heat reached immense levels in Australia. Murray's brother, Jamie, suffered heat stroke at the conclusion of his doubles match, which gives you a clear indication of how tough the conditions have been throughout Thursday.

The umpire has called time on the warm-up. It will be Millot to serve first. Game on.

BREAK! It's a shaky start from Millot, who immediately makes two errors on the opening points. A third unforced mistake follows, and Murray has three break points. The first is saved by a smash, but Millot goes long with a forehand on the second, and the world number four strikes early.

This has been a dominant start from the Scot, and a well-placed first serve takes him to 30-0. A tame shot into the net from Murray halves Millot's deficit, but the Frenchman goes long twice in succession to consolidate Murray's early break.

BREAK! Millot looks composed when it comes to smashing a ball, but his shots off the ground have left a lot to be desired. A couple of mistakes hand Murray 15-30, but the world number 267 levels things up after a Murray mistake. He creates game point, but some superb defensive work from Murray takes it to deuce. Another Millet mistakes gifts break point to Murray, and although he competes well in the following rally, a stray backhand helps Murray to the double-break.

BREAK! The Frenchman dumps another couple of shots into the net, and he is going to have to improve considerably just to get a few games on the board. However, incredibly, two double faults in a row give Millot break point! Murray saves it with an easy forehand into the open court, but Millot responds with a fantastic conversion at the net after Murray drilled another forehand in his direction. The pair get involved in a lengthy rally on the next point, but Millot takes it when Murray nets! Incredible.

BREAK! I get the impression that break of serve might have fired Murray up. A forehand winner into the corner and a Millot error earn him 0-30, before the Scot drives yet another winner off his forehand side into the left-hand corner. However, three mistakes from Murray see the break points go by, and the Scot is clutching his back, which is obviously a worry. The Wimbledon champion takes the next two points to break for a third time, but all eyes are on the back.

That's better. Two confident points off both sides take Murray to 30-0, and he appears more comfortable. A routine smash brings up three game points, and Murray moves one game away from the set when Millot sends a return long of the baseline.

Millot opens a must-win service game with a double fault, but a couple of mistakes from Murray ease the pressure on the Frenchman. However, after a backhand goes wide and another double fault is conceded by Millot, Murray has set point, but that quickly disappears with a disappointing return and the qualifier eventually comes through the game.

SET! Murray moves to 30-0 with little problem, but a third double fault gives Millot hope. The Scot directs a forehand behind the Frenchman to bring up set point, but then throws in yet another double. That's the fourth of the set. Millot gets to deuce, but a heavily-sliced shot deceives Millot to create another set chance, but again, it goes by the wayside. Murray finally gets the job done with an ace, but he is far from his best on the Rod Laver Arena.

Whether the problem is physical or it's a case of a lack of motivation, Murray doesn't look right today. But he's ahead, and that the main thing, I guess. Millot's confidence is improving, but Murray creates a break point, which the Scot hooks into the net. The Frenchman sends down a rasping backhand to edge closer to the game, which he seals from a Murray error.

Millot takes the opening point, but a couple of Murray-esque points get the Scot to 40-15, and the Wimbledon champion is level after a forehand is driven wide by Millot.

BREAK! A break of serve would go down a treat for Murray at this stage of the match, and three mistakes from the left-hander give the Scot two opportunities. They are both missed, though, and Millot is competing well after a shaky start. He misses out with another chance to break, but he takes a fourth. Will that kick-start Murray into action?

Millot is unable to return Murray's opening two serves of the game, but he takes the third point after walloping a second serve back with interest. He repeats the trick with another flamboyant return, but two authoritative points from Murray consolidate the break. He needed that.

BREAK! Much of Murray's problems have been his own doing, but you have to give credit to Millot, who opens up a 40-15 lead, but he throws in a double fault to allow Murray to back to deuce. A wonderfully-crafted forehand winner earns Murray break point, before Millot goes long on the next to give the Scot the double break.

Now then, Millot earns 0-30 on the Murray serve. Can he capitalise? The answer is a big no. Two Millot mistakes and two Murray first serves take him to within one of the second set.

Murray shows signs that he wants this set wrapped up quickly, but after opening up a 0-30 advantage, Millot takes the aggressive approach to rattle off four points in a row, including a stunning forehand winner on game point.

The trainer has been called on for Millot. It seems no more than a massage on his calf at the moment, but we will keep an eye on it.

SET! After a three-minute timeout for Millot, the players return to action and Murray wastes little time in taking four points in a row to take the second set. It remains to be seen whether Millot will continue. I suspect that he will, but he had a tough five-setter on Tuesday afternoon in the heat.

The opening four points are shared, but Murray will be disappointed not to have break point after missing with a passing shot. That disappointment turns to frustration when he misses the same shot on game point, and Millot opens up an early advantage.

A forehand winner and an ace help Murray to 40-0, and a love-service hold is complete when Millot sends a backhand into the net.

Millot shows a super touch at the net to convert a backhand volley, before he confidently puts away a smash to earn two game points. Murray hauls a point back with a solid forehand, but concedes the game when wrongly challenging a call of in for a Millot first serve. The ball touched about one millimetre of the line at most.

BREAK! A double fault from Murray is quickly made up by the Scot's fifth ace. However, all of a sudden, the Frenchman is inspired, and he thunders a backhand winner down the line to bring up two break points. Murray could do without this, but he is going to have to fight back from a break down after drilling the ball into the net.

Murray is very much second best right now. Millot steams into a 30-0 advantage, and although he concedes a double fault, his first ace of the match takes him to 40-15. Murray gets back to deuce, but a tame shot into the net from Murray gives Millot plenty of encouragement, and the Frenchman thrashes a backhand winner into the corner to generate a comfortable lead over the world number four.

BREAK! Millot is playing on sheer adrenalin, and it's making him look like the world number four in this match. He fires another baseline winner into the corner, before barely missing with another attempt. It's 30-30, and Millot jumps all over Murray's second serve to hit a return winner to bring up break point, which is taken when Murray nets. What is going on?!

BREAK! Millot is hitting winners from all areas of the court. This is remarkable. Another winner earns him the first point of the game, and he just misses with what would have been an incredible retrieval at the net. An ace creates a set point for Millot, but it's saved when Murray steps in with a drive-volley. Will that affect Millot? It could, you know. A wild baseline shot and a tame effort into the net hand Murray a break back.

Two easy points for Murray allow him to move to 30-0, and Millot chips in by striking the ball into the net. A second serve then finds the mark and Millot goes long. Big game coming up for the Frenchman.

BREAK! Millot frames a forehand to concede the opening point, before firing the ball into the net. Millot is wilting now, and a sublime Murray passing shot forces the Frenchman to net. Will it be eight points in a row? You bet it is. Millot played a better point, but it ended with a backhand into the net. We are back on serve...

This is an incredible turnaround, but should we be surprised when we are talking about Andy Murray? We probably should tonight. Another love game to the Scot, and that's the last three games won without reply.

BREAK! Murray soon establishes 0-30, and that becomes 0-40 when Millot double faults. He then fires a return winner into the corner, and he will serve for the match. Millot had lost the last 19 points from having a set point! You have to feel sorry for him...

MATCH! A net cord sees a Millot show go over the baseline for 30-0, and the Frenchman puts everything into a forehand and it goes long. Three match points to Murray, and that is taken straight away when Millot floats a return long.

What an incredible conclusion. Murray looked down and out in that third set, but to go from set point down to win 23 points in a row is astonishing. Murray wins 6-2 6-2 7-5

That will be all from Sports Mole for this match. There will be a bit of concern about Murray's performance ahead of his encounter with Feliciano Lopez, but he's through to the last 32 without losing a set. Goodbye for now.

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