Arthur Fery is a happy man. TNT show an interview with him from earlier and he explains that playing qualies means he’s arrived at the tournament in form. He doesn’t know much about Tomás Martín Etcheverry, his next opponent, but he’s “very confident and playing great”, so is sure he and his coach will sit down and find a way to win. We’ll see how it goes once he’s on court, but he seems really calm – and no wonder, given he’d just beaten Cobolli in straights.

It seems unlikely Raducanu can get good enough to win another slam, now the level at the top of women’s tennis is higher and ensconced. Her lack of a telling weapon is her biggest weakness, but she’s extremely quick around the court and has an all-round game that can be good enough to beat the best on a very good day. I doubt it’s Sabalenka this week, but at 23 she’s loads of scope to improve.

On TNT, they’re talking about Raducanu. She was impressive today, but more generally, where is she going? She’s in the top eighth of the draw, which means Sabalenka – and if both win their next match, they meet in round three which, on the one hand is unfortunate but, on the other, there are far easier engagements the top seed might’ve been handed.

Also going on:

Jim Courier is here to do the post-match interview and Alcaraz is happy to step on to the court for the first time this season. He felt great and that Walton played well – it’s good to have a few difficulties in round one, and he’s happy with his level.

Walton doesn’t move that well, he says, but he found it hard to find the right spot because his opponent was well positioned, hitting a good flat ball, and when he stepped in to attack, it was a problem.

Asked about his holiday, he says he had a good time in Miami with a group of friends, then he went to Turks and Caicos just to sit on the beach before Christmas at home. It’s been a really good nine weeks and now he’s ready for Melbourne.

At homer, he practised the whole morning, then in the afternoons, he took time off to do what he wanted, seeing friends and family, playing board games and chilling.

If there’s a person in the world happier in their own skin and with their life, I’d be keen to encounter them.

At 15-all, Alcaraz tries a few moon balls, Wozniacki-style, and Walton eventually errs then, forced to hare in to retrieve a drop, he can get it back but finds an opponent already there for the putaway. Two match points to Alcaraz, the first quickly lost with a return swatted long…

Alcaraz consolidates for 5-2 in the third, and I’m afraid our day is nearly done. on the other hand, we have, I expect, another one coming up tomorrow, so.

Raducanu says Saengkaew played really well at the start, constantly landing balls on the baseline, and that she’s playing at a level well above her ranking, so should do great things this year. Her debut slam at Wimbledon is one of her fondest memories and it was very nerve-wracking, so Saengkaew, on a show cort night sesh right away, did really well to come out firing.

Last evening, Raducanu practised late to get herself prepared, noting that the ball doesn’t travel as quickly through the air nor bounce as high. This morning, she had a potter around Melbourne, trying to keep herself calm and not reach an emotional peak too early, and she likes a new nickname, bestowed upon her by a man in the crowd, of Rada.

Raducanu’s interview coming up, but Alcaraz has broken a game Walton to lead 2-0 4-2, and he’s nearly home.

A whiplash forehand winner makes 30-15, then a backhand on to the line raises match point…

Raducanu has played really well since halfway through set one and she breaks Saengkaew again to lead 6-4 5-1; she’ll now serve for the match.

Back on Court, Sanegkaew wins her first game in seven, so Raducanu now leads 6-4 3-1; Alcarazholds to love for a 2-0 2-1 lead over Walton.

At it’s Bai who gets it! What a win for the Chinese qualifier!

…but an error means we’re back level at 10-10. Awaiting the winner, the dubious reward of a match against Sabalenka.

On Kia, Pavlyuchenkova leads Bai 10-9 in a match tiebreak and is serving…

Raducanu is all over Sawangkaew now, winning her sixth game in a row to lead 6-4 2-0. She began her comeback waiting patiently for the chance to hit a winner but now, the points are shorter and the direction of travel well established.

Alcaraz races to a 5-1 tiebreak lead, able to up it when he needs to. He does then swipe a forehand long, but there’s no sense of a comeback and, sure enough, Walton nets a forehand to cede 6-2, wilting under the weight of shot directed at him ... and, as I type, a double means Alcaraz leads 6-3 7-6(2). The Aussie played a decent set there, but ultimately succumbed to the relentless pressure and quality assailign him from the other side of the net.

That was such a lovely interview. While we were enjoying it, Raducanu broke Sawangkaew to secure a 6-4 first set, and is now in charge of this contest. Back on Laver, a poor volley from Walton hands Alcaraz an immediate mini-break at 1-0 in the second.

She says that it’s hard to enjoy when you’re on court, but she told herself these moments – playing Venus Williams at a slam - don’t happen every day. There were a lot of nerves but at 0-4 she told herself to just play, forget everything else and take it point by point but it was a pleasure to play against such a legend.

Taking a bathroom break after losing the first set, she looked in the mirror and said “‘Take tennis out, I love myself and want to be there for myself, be a friend,’” – that is some very good advice, for all of us – then came on court and tried to hold her head high and just go for it.

She thanks the Serbians in the crowd and loves playing in Australia because she’s supported by her people. Serving for the match, she was telling herself “Move your legs, move your hands”, nothing else. She kept herself calm and is now extremely happy.

Obviously Alcaraz holds for 5-5 in the second, but let’s hear what Danilova has to say…

Raducanu breaks Swangkaew back for 4-4 while Venus and Danilovic are at 30-all. On laver, meanwhile, Alcaraz, up a set, is serving at 4-5 in the second; can Walton up the scoreboard pressure with some of his own? Well, he soon makes 0-15…

Ach, after 56 hours, Danilovic finally breaks Venus – for the third time in a row - so will shortly serve for the match at 5-4 in the third. That’s incredible work really, considering she was down 4-0, but with the crowd not exactly on her side, serving out might not be easy.

No Norrie interview, so we can switch to Raducanu, now trailing Sawangkaew 4-2 in the first. Meantime, Venus and Danilovic have been playing the ninth game of their decider for a long, long time; at 4-4. the former is serving, the latter has advantage.

Back on 1573, Norrie very quickly makes 40-0, raising three match points in the process while, on Cain, Venus is saving break points at 4-4 in the third. She might have some bottle, her.

To the surprise of no one, Alcaraz breaks back immediately to lead Walton 6-3 2-3, and I guess when you’re this good, why wouldn’t you look to entertain the crowd and, more importantly yourself? Tennis is a slog, the practising arduous and lonely, while playing people you know you’re going to beat is mentally taxing. So, for a few reasons, it makes sense for Alcaraz to have fun out there, and he is.

Sawangkaew breaks Raducanu for 2-1 in the first; Norrie holds for 5-3 in the fifth and he’s a game away from round two; Walton saves break-back point with an ace out wide, but he’s not out of the woods yet.

Oh, and Danilovic has retrieved both breaks against Venus, now serving at 3-4 in the third. Anyone got any spare eyes?

We said just a few minutes ago that Alcaraz was finding things comfortable, tossing a tweener into a rally for no reason, and the taking of liberties has been punished: Walton breaks to trail 3-6 3-1. Can he consolidate?

A screeching forehand winner from Norrie is followed by a Bonzi double and, at 4-2 15-40, he has two almost-match points. But Bonzi saves them well, the second with an ace down the T, and closes out to stay in the contest.

Norrie consolidates for 4-2 in the fifth; Pavlyuchenkova forces a decider against Bai; and Raducanu holds in game one against Sawangkaew.

A backhand down the middle, Bonzi overhits in response, and Norrie leads 3-2 in the fifth, with a break! Alcaraz, meanwhile, feels secure, an unnecessary tweener landing in but costing him a point against Walton; he holds for 6-3 1-1. In comms, meantime, Tim reckons he’s the fastest player he’s ever seen on court; I’d reckon Monfils, Nadal and Demon up there too.

At 3-3 in the fifth, Norrie makes 0-30 but nets a forehand, except forget that, forget everything, because Venus has broken Danilovic a second time to lead 4-0 in the third! Oh my days!

Venus Williams, what a human being. She breaks Danilovic for 2-0 in the third, then consolidates, and I’m afraid we’ll have to stay with this match – on my other screens are Norrie, who trails Bonzi 2-1 in the fifth on serve, and Alcaraz – before moving to Raducanu when one finishes.

Next on Court: Mananchaya Sawangkaew v Emma Raducanu (28).

But he’s looking good here, serving out a 6-3 set. It’s almost impossible to conceive of anyone other than Sinner beating him.

It’s funny, really. When Alcaraz beat Sinner in the Roland Garros final, you wondered if he’d go away; when Sinner beat Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final, it felt like an upping of the level; then when Alcaraz beat Sinner in New York, you wondered if he’d hit a standard no one else could. Or, in other words, on each occasion, one of these freaks of nature has pushed things further, only for the other to one-up them. I can’t wait to see what they’ve got for us here: Sinner is going for three on the spin, while Alcaraz has never been beyond the last eight.

Talking of Alcaraz, up 4-3 he makes 0-40 the Walton serve, and a forehand winner soon secures a 5-3 lead. He looks seriously intense out there.

The highest seed in Bublik’s eighth of the draw is De Minaur, someone he could definitely beat. After that, chances are he’d face Alcaraz in the last eight, but getting to that point should be his minimum ambition.

Danilovic is well on top against Venus now, serving out a 6-3 set which felt emphatic.

Someone on 1573 just got engaged, mazal tov – and Norrie did not long ago. It’s an epidemic!

And I guess, if we’re talking about love, which we are, here’s Joy of Six: love.

Walton is doing pretty well on Laver but, as I type, he goes down break point and a long rally, 21 strokes, unfolds … then Alcaraz unloads on a forehand, giving it too much and we move to deuce, from where he secures the hold for 3-3.

…and there it is. A drop is so definitive Bonzi doesn’t even bother running for it, securing a 6-3 set and decider.

On 1573, Norrie is serving for the fourth set at 15-all, then a booming inside-out forehand, on to the outermost fibre of the line, takes him to within two points of the set. Oh, and another means he needs just one more for a decider…

I mean seriously, one of the coolest dudes in all sport and they’ve got him going about like this.

Danilovic has broken Venus for 6-7 3-0; I said Sabalenka would probably face Pavlyuchenkova next, but Bai, a qualifier, leads her 6-4 2-2; and Brooksby breaks Bublik back – try saying that with a mouth full of Mini Eggs – to trail 4-6 4-6 4-4.

Alcaraz holds, then Walton makes five first serves only to watch a backhand winner blaze past him for 3-40; he makes deuce, though, and a big serve on advantage secures the hold for 1-1. Meanwhile, Norrie is dominating again on 1573, up 4-2 as he seeks to force a decider against Bonzi.

Alcaraz and Walton are ready. I doubt we get many answers to the Ferrero question today, but watching the world no 1 play is never anything less than a treat, even if they’ve got him in yet more ridiculous get-up. Why does he let them do it to him?

Venus Williams innit. She opens shoulder, hammers a forehand winner inside-out, and now leads Danilovic 7-6(5). She’s still younger than me.

Venus now leads 5-3 in the breaker, and what a thrill it is to have this bonus bout of her. Back with Norrie, he seems to be dialled in now and, as I type, he breaks for 1-2 3-1.

On telly, they’re talking about Alcaraz’s split from Juan Carlos Ferrero, his coach since he was an even younger kid than he is now.

It may be that he’s so good it doesn’t matter, or that actually, what he needs is some fresh ideas, but that wasn’t the reason for the separation, so we really don’t know until we know.

Danilovic and Venus are playing a breaker; Danilovic leads 2-1 in it, having just lost her mini-break.

Bublik is nearly there, securing a 6-4 second set before breaking Brooksby at the start of set three and consolidating; he leads 2-0 2-0.

Back with Norrie, he trails Bonzi 2-1 1-1, having stabilised following a poor period. I wonder if, having taken set one 6-0, he mentally relaxed a tad – out of character, but who hasn’t coasted at work?

Next on Laver: Carlos Alcaraz (1) v Adam Walton.

Sabalenka says Laver feels amazing and like home. She doesn’t think she played her best, but Rakotomanga was doing well, then she found her rhythm towards the end of set one and is happy with that – it’s hard to play someone really young and also tough to play a lefty.

Pushed, she then admits she saw Rod and Roger, asking for a photo as a big fan and saying she got a bit tight wanting to play well in front of them – she hopes they enjoyed a bit. The whole match she was walking about telling herself not to look at them.

Finally, told only Martina Hingis has made four consecutive finals in Melbourne and that Djokovic didn’t, she interrupts the interview to ask Federer if he did; he doesn’t know. In his defence, it must be hard to keep track.

Sabalenka gets her phone, poses for her selfie, and that’s a lovely conclusion to proceedings.

I’ve switched over from Bublik, who leads Brooksby 5-4 6-5, to watch Venus, up 5-4 on serve against Danilovic. On Laver, Sabalenka has match point.

Fantastic shot from Rakotomanga, ending a fine rally by dashing in and stretching to flicks a gorgeous forehand cross-court for a winner. Sabalenka applauds and, in the crowd, we’ve a pair of decent boys who also enjoy it. In the event, the champ still breaks and will now serve for the match at 6-4 5-1, but we’re watching a proper talent here.

Norrie slices a backhand wide and Bonzi, a player he’d really expect to beat, leads him by two sets to one having been bagelled in the first.

Norrie makes Bonzi serve for it at 5-4; Sabalenka breaks Rakotomanga again for 6-4 4-1. Rakotomanga has played well here, but the champ and world no 1 is just so good.

Also going on:

Norrie retrieves one break for 3-4 in set three, then holds to make it close, only for Bonzi to rush through a hold of his own, to love, for 5-3. Sabalenka, meanwhile, is up 6-4 3-0, and giving Rakotomanga plenty at deuce.

Seriously, though, why are Mini Eggs so good? They taste of nothing – though I confess I’m enjoying the orange ones but I’m not a monster, I promise – and yet they need to sell them in buckets.

Yet more harsh reality for Rakotomanga, broken for 4-6 0-2, and Sabalenka is cruising now, while Bonzi is all over Norrie, serving for 1-1 5-1.

On Court, Bublik has broken in set two to lead Brooksby 6-4 2-1. The winner meets Faucsovics.

Yup, Sabalenka hits deep, Rakotomanga hits long, and the champ leads 6-4.

Norrie nets, Bonzi breaks, and leads 1-1 2-1. Rakotomanga, meanwhile, lefty, 20 and French having been born in Madagascar, might just be putting the world on notice. She clouts a forehand winner cross-court, raising game-point, but then Sabalenka really opens shoulder on a backhand, putting away the volley for set point. Could this be a lesson in harsh reality?

Sabalenka now leads Rakotomanga 5-4; Bonzi, having held for 1-1 1-1, now has 0-40 on the Norrie serve.

Back on Laver, Bublik has taken the first set against Brooksby 6-4. It’s quite strange watching him behave in sensible manner, managing a routine win, but that’s what he’s doing – for now, at least.

Bonzi races in, puts away a sliced volley, and he levels the match with Norrie at a set apiece. Both men are playing well, so we should be in for fun in the next couple of hours.

Nozza, as I’m sure his mates call him, saves two set points while, on Laver, we’re still on serve at 4-3 Sabalenka. Rakotomanga is doing really nicely.

All that work from Norrie and Bonzi races to 5-0 … oooh, and a double takes it to 6-0. This is going to be a struggle, and we’re here for it.

“Can someone just put on Pacific 707 and be done with it?”

Again – in less spectacular style but nevertheless – Norrie restores deuce and, as I type, serves out to secure a breaker at 6-0 6-6. If he wins it, he breaks the back of the match, but if he loses it, it’s a proper ruckus.

Rakotomanga Rajaonah is holding her own against Sabalenka, down 2-3 on serve; Bublik leads Brooksby 4-2; and Norrie is down two further set points.

And Norrie secures his hold for 6-0 5-5; he showed some serious stones there, playing beautifully under pressure. Sabalenka, meanwhile, holds for 2-1, and she’s settled into her defence.

And have a look! A glorious forehand winner, hauled cross-court, is backed up by another down the line, the swinging leftiness doing the business, but Bonzi soon has advantage, retrieved by some delightful anticipation at the net, a backhand volley, on the stretch, restoring deuce.

Er yeah. Rakotomanga Rajaonah is broken back immediately for 1-1 in the first, while Norrie is down 15-40 and two set points against Bonzi.

I’m not sure why, but I can’t get commentary on Bublik v Brooksby, which isn’t helpful, but Bublik leads 3-1; Tiafoe is up a break in set three, so at 4-2 is only two games away from seeing off Kubler; Zheng leads Korda by a break at 4-3 in the fifth; and Norrie is up a set on Bonzi, but serving to stay in the second at 4-5.

We’re away on Laver, Sabalenka in dayglo straight out of 1989 … and Rakotomanga Rajaonah immediately makes 0-30 on her serve. Oh! And when the champ swats a backhand long, she’s down three break points! All three are saved, but then the underdog raises a fourth on advantage, thrashes a deep return, and Sabalenka nets a forehand! Rakotomanga Rajaonah need only hold five times and she’s a set up! Er yeah, let’s see…

OK, we’ve got eyes on Court, where Brooksby is serving in game one. Bublik, long known as a maverick whose immaturity prevented him from realising the full extent of his athletic and technical talent, might’ve enjoyed a surprise breakthrough last term. In Paris, he beat De Minaur and Draper in making the last eight, beat Sinner in winning Halle, and made round four in New York, where Sinner took his revenge. He breaks immediately, and seems to have finally decided that he wants to be a tennis player.

We’re out on Laver, but for some reason the link to Court takes us Norrie, now up 6-0 3-3; I’m working on a workaround.

Sabalenka, the two-time defending champion, is ready to come out on to court. She is, of course, the favourite to complete her hat-trick, but we might just be getting to a point in women’s tennis where we’ve got several serious contenders for each major: Sabalenka, of course, but also Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova and perhaps Naomi Osaka and Elena Rybakina. Afrer years of all sorts taking slams, it’s now terrifyingly intense at the top.

On 1573 Arena, Norrie has taken the first set off Benjamin Bonzi 6-0 and just struggled to a hold for 1-1 in the second; on Cain, Francis Tiafoe, seeded 29, leads Jason' Kubler, the Australian qualifier, 7-6 5-3; on Kia, Seb Korda and Michael Zheng are playing a deciding set; and on Laver and Court respectively, we’ll soon have Sabalenka v Tiantso Rakotomanga Rajaonah and Bublik, now up to 10, against Jenson Brooksby.

Mini Eggs, though. Absolute art.