A little fist pump from Kyle Edmund. He comes through unscathed.

Kevin Anderson struggles to deal with a ball bouncing around his feet and hooks it into the tape.

Kyle Edmund soared through his last service game, he'd love to do similar here.

He connects with a huge a chunk of frame to send an attempted forehand long and then has to watch on as Anderson approaches the net before slicing a crosscourt volley beyond his reach to make it 15-30.

But the giant South African clips the net and then fires a wayward forehand wide to give Edmund the advantage at 40-30.

Good response from Kevin Anderson as he finds a winner to level up and then Kyle Edmund sends a backhand long.

Anderson strides into the net again, has Edmund on the run and pats the Brit's attempted volley into the space he had vacated to hold serve.

First point of the Kevin Anderson serve goes Kyle Edmund's way, and he edges to a 15-30 lead when the South African misses a straightforward volley at the net.

Edmund was stretching, Anderson seemed to have all the time in the world - but he hits the net.

Mark Woodforde
12-time Grand Slam doubles champion on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra at Melbourne Park

If it remains windy, the more Edmund uses that forehand, he can certainly trouble the big man, Kevin Anderson.

Clinical from Kyle Edmund.

Kevin Anderson clips the top of the net with his return when it looked like he had Edmund on the run, and the British number two powers home a forehand.

Some speed off the strings of the Kyle Edmund serve so far today.

He goes 15-0 up and then nearly wipes out a line judge with a first serve that's just wide, but the second is too hot to handle for Kevin Anderson.

A spinning, dipping top spin second serve gets the better of Anderson a point later - 40-0.

How about that from Kyle Edmund! 30-40 down, opening up the body and slamming a forehand beyond Kevin Anderson before the South African had chance to blink.

Deuce.

But that seems to just fire up Anderson. Bang, bang, and he holds serve.

Kevin Anderson takes about two strides to reach the net, and the 11th seed does so with devastating effect with a serve and volley that he puts away at the second attempt.

Kyle Edmund does well to pin his opponent back on the baseline though, and he recovers to 30-30.

Edmund engages Anderson in a rally off the next point, too, but the South African eyes up the far corner and sends a neat backhand into the gap.

Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Melbourne Park

Court Three at Melbourne Park definitely has the coolest paint job of any Grand Slam arena, and it’s packed for the start of play, with queues already sneaking away from the stairwells.

Image source, BBC Sport

Mark Woodforde
12-time Grand Slam doubles champion on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra at Melbourne Park

I'm curious to see if Kevin Anderson will look to drive through this match if Edmund offers up a short ball.

Break point chance for Kevin Anderson.

He attacks the Kyle Edmund serve and gets his reward, but the British number two responds with a huge serve to send the South African off balance and watch the ball soar long and wide.

Break point saved, and Edmund then accelerates into an advantage lead before wrapping up the game.

Anderson can't lift a backhand over the net as Edmund takes the early advantage on his serve.

A grunt from the Brit as he fires down another big groundstroke, this time to Anderson's forehand, and moves 30-0 ahead as the South African again clips the tape.

Anderson claws a point back, and Edmund can't convert after getting a Hawk Eye call in his favour and it's all square.

Trainers screeching across the Melbourne surface as Kevin Anderson and Kyle Edmund engage in the longest rally of the opening game.

It's Anderson who comes out on top, and then hammers down a tradermark serve to go 1-0 up.

He celebrates with a fist pump.

Stinger of an opening serve from Kevin Anderson, but Kyle Edmund gets points on the board off the second to level up at 15-15.

Anderson catches the line to edge back in front, but it's a scorcher of a forehand that fizzes past the South African as Edmund pulls back to 30-30.

It's the big-serving Kevin Anderson to get us under way...

How does Kyle Edmund feel about carrying British hopes on his very capable shoulders in the men's draw?

"My approach doesn't change because I'm the only British guy in the draw," said the 23-year-old, ranked 49th.

"It's more of a shame than anything that Andy (Murray) isn't playing. I don't really think any differently, it's just the reality. I can just go on the court and play my tennis, that's all."

The players are well under way in their warm ups, which means it's almost time for this one to get started...

There'll be no missing Kyle Edmund today, the British number two has an illuminous pink t-shirt and shorts combo, paired with equally resplendent shoes.

Wonder no more. We miss you too, Andy!

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Russell Fuller
BBC tennis correspondent at Melbourne Park

Kyle Edmund has been practising for two hours a day for the past three or four days, so is expecting the ankle he injured in Brisbane 10 days ago to be fine. He lost a tight five-setter to Kevin Anderson at the French Open, but points out he has gained eight months more experience since then. Fighting talk from the Brit, who’s just turned 23.