Sloppy from Dan Evans. Looks a tad flustered as he drags a slice well wide of the target.

30-15.

Just shy of an hour into this one. It's first point Dan Evans in the second set, and then Rafael Nadal goes wide. Does he? Evans challenges, quite late, and Rafa shakes his finger at the Brit - he's still wagging it, hard to argue with late calls after his delayed shout in the first set.

Ultimately, the ball is in though. And Nadal levels out at 15-15.

Image source, Getty Images

Dan Evans gets a word of instruction during the break, slouched in his chair after a lactic acid-inducing opening set. He threw everything into that. What's the Brit got left here?

Rafael Nadal bounds back out after a bathroom break with renewed energy. Certainly not rushing, the Spaniard. He's a set to the good.

And now to serve first in the second...

Dan Evans punches wide. The stadium erupts into a sea of red and yellow as Spanish flags are waved frantically by the home fans. Rafael Nadal puts Spain into the lead in the second singles rubber.

And he saves the second, too.

A slick serve-and-volley combo from the Brit. One set point the fend off for Dan Evans.

Dan Evans saves the first with a punchy serve!

Two to go.

Zing. What a backhand winner from the world number one, finding the only line available.

Three set points Spain.

Rafael Nadal suddenly accelerates into a 0-30 lead with a slapped winner that almost bounces out of the stadium. Dan Evans in trouble.

Dan Evans challenges a Rafael Nadal serve, but that was stamped on to the line. The Spaniard edges back in front with another hold. It remains on serve.

This is feisty.

Dan Evans' slice is getting under the skin of Rafael Nadal, and the home fans.

15-15.

Big hold from Dan Evans. He's enjoying playing the villain...

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport at Caja Mágica

Dan Evans has wound up the Madrid crowd so much that they are starting to cheer his first serves into the net. That's just not tennis.

Just undercooked from Dan Evans, that slice comes off the strings blue and drops on the wrong side of the net from his point of view.

Rafa Nadal punches long on his next return. 40-15.

Miles Maclagan
Former British Davis Cup player on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

Evans has worked incredibly hard. He’s come out with a clear tactic – to get up on the baseline and take it to Nadal when he can. He’s held onto his serve so he’s done everything he could have been asked to.

A late, late challenge from Rafael Nadal... and Dan Evans ain't happy. Trying to wind up the Brit? Evans slaps away a short ball on the following point with serious attitude. 30-0.

"Viva Espana" rings out. It's a Saturday night semi-final disco for the 12,000 fans in Madrid.

Rafael Nadal slips into his dancing shoes and rattles to a quick hold.

Evans does hold!

Lovely stuff, too much zip on the Brit's big hitters for Nadal to handle.

Rafael Nadal with a crowd-pleasing forehand winner after another entertaining rally. He throws his arms aloft in unison with the crowd. Dan Evans just can't close this game out...

We've more than half an hour in, Kyle Edmund was a set up by this point earlier.

Make that deuce. Rafa's hanging around...