Rafa Nadal, Sania Mirza feature on Day 2 at Brisbane International 2017: Live Commentary

Nadal will now face Mischa Zverev in the next round at the ATP Brisbane.

Rafael Nadal beats Alexandr Dolgopolov in straight sets - 6-3, 6-3 in an hour and 15 minutes.

And that's the final break - and it's game, set and match Rafael Nadal!

He holds serve at love and Dolgopolov serves to stay in the match, now.

Looks like Rafael Nadal is ready to finish things off and go home. He's leading 5-3 and getting very aggressive and quicker with each passing shot.

A fair fight back from Alexandr Dolgopolov! He stays in it to trail 4-3.

And he builds on the break! Rafael Nadal leads 4-2 but there's a flub from the Spaniard and he sends an attempted banana shot out.

Rafael Nadal leads Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3, 3-2 up a break of serve in the second set.

Nadal is back in this and how! After a first set win, the Spaniard has come back resoundingly with a strong volley and takes Dolgopolov to break point.

And again, errors galore from an aggravated Dolgopolov, who has held serve so far in the second set however.

Dolgopolov holds serve in the first game of the second set, but Nadal is really coming into his own now!

Dolgopolov's nerves have been rattled, clearly. He spends most of the break arguing with the chair umpire over a 'bias towards Nadal', then asks to go to the locker room to change.

But it's not over yet. Dolgopolov is in a bit of a scuffle with chair umpire Fergus Murphy.

Rafael Nadal wins the first set 6-3.

Dolgopolov claws back to fight the set point and brings it to 30-40 before Nadal hits a backhand winner that flies past him.

Almost at set point Nadal...a seeming ace off the Spaniard's racquet is challenged by Dolgopolov - and he's right, it's out!

And he's back in the game! Nadal applies the pressure for a break of serve - and gets it! Dolgopolov has been spraying the court with errors now despite his initial promise, and now the Spaniard will serve for the set.

Nadal is supposedly going the Wayne Rooney route - hair transplant, long, enduring career, one of the best...

Some things never change. Nadal still adjusting his watch, his water bottles - but not his hair band for a change.

A couple of unexpected errors from Dolgopolov - uncharacteristically netting shots, and a hold of nerves (and serve!) by Nadal sees him take a 4-3 lead.

Nadal* 3 - 3 Dolgopolov

There's some fight back - and a break back from Rafael Nadal, who equalizes the break and is now back on serve.

Dolgopolov, back on serve, is baying for blood. The best way to show that? He sends a speedy ace down the line to start the game.

Rafa Nadal almost holds that last game to love with some great placement, and pushes Dolgopolov into a corner. At the last minute, the speedy Ukrainian returns with a mammoth, quick forehand and gets it down the line. 40-15. But Nadal manages to hold serve.

Dolgopolov's serves are getting faster and faster! Quickly he holds his second service game for a 3-1 lead.

Dolgopolov leads Nadal 2 - 1, up a break of serve.

And there's the first break of the match! After absolutely creaming a forehand winner down the line at Nadal, the agile Dolgopolov rushes the net and Nadal loses the point - and the game!

Scores level at 1-1 as each player holds serve.

pic.twitter.com/FAH99B13Ac
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) January 3, 2017

And Dolgopolov holds his service game after a return from Nadal goes absolutely haywire as the Spaniard spins around, sending the shot very wide.

That, coupled with Nadal's injury struggles and flagging form, may make things difficult for him.

The pair were due to meet at Rio 2016, with Nadal winning by walkover after Dolgopolov withdrew due to injury. But prior to this, it was Dolgopolov who won the two last actual matches the two have played against each other.

Nadal is significantly the higher-ranked of the two, but it's expected to be a fight for him today.

Nadal opens service - and holds his service game! Scores are 1-0.

This is the Spaniard's first time at Brisbane, and his first tournament after a long injury break.

It's time for Nadal!

And now it's almost time for Nadal to take the court! It's the first time the former World No. 1 will be playing at the venue, interestingly.

The experienced Indian pair committed only a single double fault to their rivals' three, saving four break points and breaking their opponents five times.

And that's Game, Set and Match Sania Mirza and Bethanie Mattek-Sands! The two win 6-1, 6-1 in a 42 minute match. Easy does it.

They're already at 4-1 now and only 38 minutes into the match. We're likely looking at a sub-one hour victory for Mattek-Sands and Mirza. How do you think this partnership will hold up?

The first set is cleaned up in 20 minutes. Can they replicate that success in the second?

Set Sania Mirza and Bethanie Mattek-Sands! They win the first set 6-1

Set point! Can they wrap it up quickly? Cornet and Mertens have taken them to deuce now and are looking for the break back to stay in the set.

Make that a double break! They now lead 5-1 and are serving for the set.

And just like that, the Indo-American pair have raced to 4-1, up a break of serve.

As Mirza and Mattek-Sands commence serving, each team has held their service games for a 1-1 score so far in the match. So far, so good. But it's Mattek-Sands and Mirza who have been the more dominant of the pair, much stronger on their first serves.

Bethanie Mattek-Sands has had an unlucky miss at the singles, however, losing to 16-year-old Destanee Aiava of Australia.

Mattek-Sands has herself had much success with her partner Lucie Safarova - the pair have won Slams and beat Mirza and Strycova in the Asian leg of the 2016 WTA season, so it is unlikely that pair will split.

Mirza announcing a split with Strycova seems unlikely given the two have found chemistry, a match in playing styles, and success on the tour. It looks, for now, as though the Mattek-Sands matchup is temporary.

Sania Mirza to pair up with Bethanie Mattek-Sands in Australia in 2017

Rafa Nadal, Sania Mirza feature on Day 2 at Brisbane International 2017: Live Commentary

Nadal and Mirza are playing in Australia, with Nadal playing his first Tour match since the US Open