Heather Watson v Ksenia Pervak: Australian Open as it happened

The Brit eases off the pedal, allowing the left handed Pervak to notch a trouble-free hold to 15. Over on Hisense Arena, Maria Sharapova thunders through to the third round with a ruthless 6-0 6-0 victory over Misaki Doi. The Russian has yet to lose a game in this tournament, which is as staggering as Watson's comeback.

The 20-year-old Brit decides against asking for trainer and whatever was troubling her in the previous game is posing her little problem now as she holds to love. A magical backhand winner confirmation that the British number one has transformed into Wonder Woman Watson.

Watson displaying more variety than a giant bag of pick n mix. A beautifully crafted volley forces Pervak to net for 15-30 and the Brit edges towards a double break with a picture-perfect driven forehand. The British number one seems to be struggling with cramp, but the pain doesn't prevent her from leaping ahead. A remarkable turnaround.

Deep serves from Watson forcing her nemesis onto her heels and the Pervak radar is malfunctioning as Watson consolidates her lead with a hold to love. By the way, Maria Sharapova leading 6-0 4-0 against Tatsuma Ito of Japan.

And we're off. Can Watson battle back from the brink for the second successive match? A delicate drop shot the highlight of a polished performance from Watson as she secures an early break. The Briton aided by two terribly backhands from Pervak.

"Ridiculous," thunders Watson as a line call, correctly, goes Pervak's way. No sign of nerves from the left hander as she eases ahead to 40-0 and concludes the game with a hold to 15. A less than tuneful rendition of God Save the Queen rings around the court.

Watson remaining on the baseline, happy to wait for the woman across the net to error, which she does. But the left hander is also capable of producing beautiful winners, which she does - this time a driving volley. It's 30-30, the Brit has the court at her mercy, set point beckons, but she wastes her chance by sinking a straightforward volley into the tape. Watson, though, fetches and retrieves and her endless energy is rewarded with a set point as Pervak nets. Watson fails to grab her chance and Pervak eventually ends a lengthy game with a tricky hold. Worryingly, Watson looks in discomfort.

The Briton varies play nicely, calmly volleying from the net, but Pervak is equally as comfortably at the front of the court - volleying into the corner beyond the despairing Watson for deuce. The strength of Watson's racquet frame is once again tested as it's introduced to the firm court. Watson looks to be in trouble but manages to scramble free and is a game from securing the set.

Shadows lengthening over the court. Watson's ever faithful choir of fans continue to declare their love for her in the form of song, if you can call it singing. And it is a comfortable hold for Pervak.

A poor drop shot opens the door for Pervak and the Kazakhstan player then conjures a magical forehand for deuce. "A lack of pace on everything," screams Watson as she double faults. The pair see-saw between deuce and advantage before Watson slams the door shut with a canny serve which forces her rival to hit her return long.

Watson gives herself a good talking to after falling 30-0 behind. Pervak makes a couple of careless errors to allow the Brit to level at 30-30. Watson scampering from tramline to tramline before unleashing a humdinger of a forehand for deuce. The Watson forehand is in fine working order, earning her a break point - but she lets the opportunity slip and then yelps as she watches a forehand plonk into the net for a Pervak hold.

Hold it, Heather, hold it... Two aces suggests she will gallop ahead, but her concentration falters and Pervak wins three points on the trot to earn a break point. An ace calms Watson's nerves. She's soon in trouble again, but a gutsy forehand winner which grazes the paint saves a second break point and Watson eventually limps over the line.

The camera finds an animated fan who is wearing a mask of Prince William. Next to him is Prince Philip. Plenty of support for Watson, who is suddenly gambolling on the baseline, rejuvenated and confident after breaking back.

There's been a first-round defeat for Colin Fleming and Jamie Murray in the men's doubles. The pair lost 7-5 7-5 to Michael Kohlmann and Jarkko Nieminen.

High-pitch screams on court eight coming from Heather Watson's direction. The Brit frustrated at allowing the world number 82 to nudge to 15-30. Hands on hips and mutters from Watson as she once again fails to get the ball over the net for break point. The umpire comes to the Brit's rescue, though, overruling a line call - much to Pervak's annoyance. And Watson wraps up the game with a fine volley.

Live commentary of this match has switched to BBC Radio 5 live sports extra. Perhaps Watson's fortune will improve as a result. Not immediately, though. Watson can only trouble the scoreboard when Pervak double faults in an otherwise trouble-free service game.

Watson has failed to hold serve from the end of the court she is now serving and she soon finds herself trailing 0-30. A sloppy forehand from Watson and the Brit reacts with an anguished scream at having conceded three break points. Shabby from Watson as she directs a forehand towards the tramlines, allowing her opponent the chance to serve for the set.

A double fault from Pervak. She sighs. Sometimes life isn't fair, eh. Watson 15-30 ahead. A second double fault. Pervak mutters something towards the crowd this time. Two break points Watson. Pervak fails to get her first serve over the tape.... second serve finds the target... but a lazy backhand from Pervak allows Watson to, once again, level.

A comfortable hold to 15 for Watson. A forehand winner as good as it gets for the 21-year-old from Kazakhstan.

Watson plan of attack from the baseline paying dividends. The Brit's forehand a lethal weapon. She squanders two break points and Pervak is allowed to wriggle free. A frustrated Watson throws her racquet into the air, knowing perhaps that she perhaps should have been more aggressive during the closing stages.

Over on court five Colin Fleming and Jamie Murray have lost the first set 7-5 to Michael Kohlmann and Jarkko Nieminen.

By reaching the second round, Watson has already bettered her previous performance at the Australian Open. The pair slug it out from the baseline. The left-handed Pervak forcing Watson to send a forehand into the tramlines for break point. Danger averted. But a rare foray to the net from Pervak earns her a second break point... and the inconsistent Brit sends a forehand looping long to allow Pervak to nudge ahead once again.

"I think I'm showing the other players that I'm one of these girl that's never going to give up," said Watson ahead of this match and she wasn't lying. A cute forehand winner from the Briton for 30-30 and a couple of wild forehands from Pervak means Watson has negated her opponent's earlier advantage.

Glimpses of the variety of shots Watson has at her disposal. The Guernsey-born right-hander stepping in from the baseline to vary her tactics and she wraps up a comfortable hold to love with a classy ace. "Let's go" shout Watson's fans.

Watson's backhand malfunctioning but the 20-year-old Brit wins her first point of the match with a forehand crosscourt winner for 40-15. The British number one's followers are delighted. But not for long as Pervak impressively holds.

Pervak suffered 14 first-round losses last year, but her rasping forehand suggests it will not be elementary for Watson. The world 82, content to throw flamethrower after flamethrower from the baseline, notches three break points and nervelessly grabs her chance.