We've been going for just over three hours... and Kevin Anderson is serving to stay in the fourth set.

Kyle Edmund takes successive points of the South African, is he tiring? Those previous two shots looked a little sluggish.

Edmund can't handle the heat on Anderson's next serve, though, and it's 30-30.

David Law
Radio 5 live sports extra commentator at Melbourne Park

This looks like it might be going all the way.

That's pinpoint from Kyle Edmund, catching the outer edge of the baseline to give the British number two the advantage.

He follows up with a superb winner to move within touching distance of taking the fourth set.

Solid, punchy stuff Kyle Edmund, who out-foxes Kevin Anderson with another serve towards the South African's body.

Anderson hauls it back to deuce, but can't get the measure of this Edmund serve and trickles a return into the gutter.

An ambitious Edmund backhand goes awry, we have deuce again.

Image source, Getty Images

There's another huge Kyle Edmund forehand for you, skipping and fizzing its way on to the raquet of Kevin Anderson, who can't control his return.

A big serve follows, 30-15, but Anderson pegs Edmund back once again.

Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Melbourne Park

Asked for his thoughts on the Edmund game before the match, Anderson was quick to respond - "the forehand is dangerous". Two years ago, when the Briton played Novak Djokovic in Miami, the then world number one raised his eyebrows and whistled when asked to comment on the youngster's best weapon.

When the Edmund forehand is firing there are few better shots in the game, and he hit his 20th winner off that side - to six backhands - on his way to holding serve.

Tight as you like, Edmund challenges and Anderson serve and it's in by the narrowest of margins.

Anderson follows up to make it 30-0, before hitting the net to volley a forehand winner down centre court with Edmund on the run.

That's the game.

A quick Venus-Bencic update - it's back on serve in the second set at 2-2 after the Swiss took the opener 6-3.

Kyle Edmund holds. He had Kevin Anderson on the move, before his opponent failed to pick a backhand up enough to work it over the net.

The Brit will take that.

A couple of quickfire points shared, before Kevin Anderson frames a return towards the crowd.

Kyle Edmund has the South African scurrying in a nervy exchange, before picking his spot and finding the corner with a smart winner that has Anderson rooted to the Melbourne surface.

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

Edmund is bruising Kevin Anderson right now, who must be beginning to fatigue in his legs.

A crack of the net, a shake of the hands and head from Kevin Anderson as the 11th seed shows his frustration.

Kyle Edmund is back at deuce, and now has another break point chance - or does he? Anderson is challenging the call, and Hawk Eye shows it's clipped the line.

Advantage Anderson. Another challenge from a serve that's called out - Anderson has nailed it again!

Kevin Anderson hits back with two thumping serves to turn those break points into deuce.

That's 21 aces for the giant South African.

Another follows, advantage Anderson.

A stomp of the foot from Kyle Edmund, he's not impressed at letting a point slip.

But Kevin Anderson's follow up forehand is all kinds of wrong. I'm not even sure where that landed...

Two break points Edmund.

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

There's a different look on the face of Kevin Anderson right now - a lot of despair at squandering those three break points.

Kyle Edmund leans forward and punches a backhand winner with such nonchalance, all of a sudden he's looking relaxed and comfortable again.

Kevin Anderson, on the other hand, is wobbling. He dashes into the net, but scoops a backhand volley long - 0-30.

Image source, EPA

Venus Williams against Belinda Bencic is arguably the tastiest match-up in the first round of either singles draw and it's already living up to that billing on Rod Laver Arena.

The Swiss, who has had major injury problems in the past year or two, won six straight points after the post-rain resumption to take the first set 6-3.

Venus, 17 years senior to Bencic at 37, has broken in the opening game of the second set.

By the way, they are playing under the roof on Laver.

Image source, Getty Images

Beautiful depth from Kyle Edmund, using all of the court there to undo Kevin Anderson and force the 11th seed into back-to-back errors.

The first cracks the net, the second goes long and Edmund extends his lead in this set to 3-0.

A superb save from the 23-year-old Brit.

One saved - cracking forehand winner from Kyle Edmund, who whips one to Kevin Anderson's left.

The second is also saved as Anderson fires a loose backhand into the net.

Can Edmund pull this back? He sends Anderson wide on his backhand, before forcing him across court with a powerful forehand.

Deuce!

Kyle Edmund is being forced to work for this.

Kevin Anderson goes 15-0 up and then thinks an Anderson shot has gone long, there's no call, and Edmund doesn't challenge.

Anderson dinks a soft backhand in response to a weak Edmund forehand - the South African has three break points.