Now Muchova holds easily, but can she make an impression on the Paolini serve? So far, she’s made too many unforced errors to ask the questions she’ll have prepared, but she makes 30-all and then plays a lovely point, a drop giving her the chance to hoist a lob that’s too good; break-back point. But another unforced error on the return, cedes the opportunity. No matter: Paolini goes long on the forehand and on advantage, she tries a drop, Muchova getting it back deep and blocking back a ball deliberately whacked at her, before tidying up. We’re back on serve at 3-3 in the first.

Paolini consolidates easily and it’s just ridiculous how good she’s got all of a sudden. I mean, obviously the raw materials were there, but they’d been there for years – she’s 28! I can’t remember the last time a player had such a glow-up so late in their career.

This match is such high fashion Anna Wintour is in to enjoy it.

Two errors give Paolini 0-30, then at 0-40 second serve barely struggles over the net. And though the return is out, Muchova then nets at 30-40 and it’s the Italian with the early advantage, up 2-1 with a break.

An ace onto the outside of the line gets Paolini 30-0, then Muchova nails a forehand pass down the line, on the run; brilliant shot. Then, at 30-all, Muchova plays a good approach only to notch her putaway, and from there Paolini seals the hold with a booming forehand. Muchova, though, will be irritated she didn’t raise break point because she’d done all the hard work in the rally. But it’s 1-1 and already, this is shaping up.

Muchova holds for 1-0 and I’d expect her to really attack the Paolini serve

I can’t wait for this match. I reckon Muchova will want to keep Paolini moving. Except she’s really good at moving, so I’d not be surprised to see her regularly hauled in to the net rather than just allowed to race side to side and unleash. Paolini, I imagine, will want to clout forehands into corners.

Our players are out on Armstrong and the good news is that Martina is on co-comms.

In her post-match press conference, Gauff said she thought the problem was mental not technical, saying she can hit 30 serves in practice and nail them all. But I’m not sure you can separate them, because we all saw her shoulder dropping yesterday, an issue which might be exacerbated by the match situation but which definitely exists.

On the telly, they’re discussing Coco Gauff, whose performance yesterday wasn’t always easy to watch. Laura Robson suggests she take the rest of the season off to address the technical fault with her serve and Martina agrees that might be a smart plan. Thinking back to her own career, she says she didn’t know you could have time off so she didn’t, but now she knows you can, she thinks a break might do Gauff well.

Also going on:

Preamble