Rafael Nadal v Zizou Bergs LIVE: Score and latest updates from Italian Open

A gorgeous backhand down-the-line drops a foot inside the baseline for Bergs, showing off his shot-making in these early proceedings and not seeming at all overawed to be facing the king of clay. A bunny hop of a bounce just before he strikes sends an attempted repeat of the shot long soon after, though, and a flapped forehand into the net gives Rafael Nadal a second game on serve.

That’s a pleasant beginning on serve from Zizou Bergs, though, a booming serve and crisp forehand winner settling him into his work. He has got a good serving game, an upright, powerful strike, though a double fault at 30-0 frustrates the Belgian.

No matter – back in business with an ace. A missed volley but Bergs closes it out.

A simple enough start for Rafael Nadal, holding to 15 with a big serve up the centre forcing an error to seal it.

A whipped forehand drags Bergs wide, and the Belgian can’t keep his hooked backhand in play. First point to Nadal.

Right, here we go. Rafael Nadal will serve first.

A huge cheer for Rafael Nadal as he emerges into the bright Italian sunshine.

But the attention will be firmly on Rafael Nadal’s fitness and form ahead of Roland Garros. He’s won this tournament ten times, but even he misses out on the trophy, a deep run here would go a long way towards getting him ready for the cut and thrust of grand slam tennis.

This is a good chance for Belgium’s Zizou Bergs, with the 24-year-old beginning to threaten the world’s top 100 but still without a really significant win at ATP Tour level. Named, yes, after Zinedine Zidane (or to be more specific a football training drill his father used to complete tagged with the Frenchman’s nickname), the Belgian is coming off some encouraging form on the Challenger circuit in Florida, losing in the final in Sarasota to Thanasi Kokkinakis before besting Mitchell Krueger in Tallahassee to defend his title.

She really had to work to secure victory, saving a set point in the second to take it to a tie break, but that’s a good win, in the end, for Linda Noskova. The Czech teenager, a quarter-finalist at the Australian Open earlier this year, will hope to build on that second round win on a surface that hasn’t necessarily been her favourite so far in a young career.

Noskova departs as the Rome crowd swells in anticipation for the arrival of Rafael Nadal.

The 37-year-old returned to the tour during the clay swing for tournaments in Barcelona and Madrid, and is fit enough to play his third event in a row in Rome.