That, then, is us done for the day. Thanks all for your company, enjoy your evening, and à demain!

Emotions are different when you win, says Djokovic, and the match was a big one for him, in conditions difficult for both players. He congratulates Royer for playing really well, especially in the third set and when he served for the match, but these are the kinds of matches which provide the challenges and he hopes he doesn’t meet another Frenchman. He’s played two matches and feels like he’s played for two weeks.

Hailey Baptiste has to retire after a nasty fall at the back of the court. Wang meets Starodubtseva next, in a section that now has Paolini, ranked 13, as its highest remaining seed – but the Italian is also struggling with a foot injury against Sierra.

Talking of whom, momentum in their match has switched, Fonseca up 4-1 in set three having lost the first two. Elsewhere, Sierra has come back from a break down to level against Paolini at a set apiece; Michelsen has just had the trainer out, leading Basavareddy 2-1 4-3 on serve; and Jodar has beaten Duckworth.

Royer gave him plenty – I really hope he can produce this level moving on – but Djokovic had enough to get it done. At what physical cost, we’ll find out in fullness of time, but he’s playing nicely and meets Fonseca or Prizmic next.

A 127mph ace and Djokovic raises yet another match point…

Inside-out backhand from Djokovic, from the corner, down the line … is perfect! He caps an ear, roars his approval, and what a contest this is … all the more so when Royer, caught coming in, somehow conjures a half-volley that climbs over the net, bounces just beyond it, and dies. Another match point saved so back to deuce we go!

Goodness me, a double donates break-back point, Royer seizes control of the next rally … then, with the point at his mercy, overhits a forehand, and we’re back to deuce. What a day this has been – the standard of tennis and of excitement have been off the scale.

Djokovic nets a backhand – one match point gone – then goes long with another – two gone, and deuce. Royer has shown serious composure and skill under pressure here – the question is whether, at 24, this is a new level or a one-off showcase of his best play.

An ace down the middle makes 15-0, then Djokovic strays wide; 15-all. Another ace follows, then a service-winner – it’s mad how Djokovic sneakily became one of the greatest servers ever in his 30s – means two match points.

Down 30-15, Djokovic unloads on the forehand, whipping it to the corner, and Royer can’t respond; he’s two points from defeat. But an ace out wide raises game point, he secures the hold, and must now break to stay in the match at 3-5 in the fourth.

Djokovic presses home his advantage, holding for 5-2, and Royer might just’ve run out of puff. After change of ends, he’ll serve to stay in the match.

Prizmic, of course, beat Berrettini and Shelton in Madrid, then Djokovic in Rome, which is to say a grand slam performance of this quality was coming. I think he’ll need to fill out and develop more power if he’s to become a factor in the second week of majors, but I really like his speed and aggression.

Basavareddy has some serious stones, serving out a 6-3 third set; he’s playing nicely now, and Michelsen leaves the arena while, on 14, Prizmic breaks Fonseca – he was the future once – and holds to lead 6-3 6-4 having not yet faced a break point.

Djokovic earns break point at 2-1 and, on the run, he hooks a sensational forehand to the far corner – a ball that looks too slow to be a winner, but so accurate it can be nothing but. He leads 2-1 3-1 and, after frittering a break in the third, he’ll surely see this one out?

Paolini secures a 6-3 first set then breaks Sierra first up in the second – she’s looking good, so I’m going to stick with Basavareddy 6-7 3-6 5-2 Michelsen, at least until Baptise loses the first set to Wang, if she does. Currently, she trials 3-2, a break down.

Oh, on 7, Jodar has come back from a break down to the the third set against Duckworth – he now leads 2-1 1-0 – and on 6, Wang leads Baptiste 3-2 with abreak.

A message from Royer, who holds in short order … then Djokovic does likewise. Up 40-15, he chases out of court and, somehow, lasers a winner down the line and through a pin-hole, absolutely ridiculous behaviour. He leads 2-1 2-1 while, back on 14, Fonseca is starting to impose himself – he hits it a lot harder than Prizmic, and holds for 4-3 in the second having lost the first.

Basavareddy consolidates – eventually, Michelsen makes him fight hard for it – leading 3-0 but trailing 2-0. Meantime, Djokovic struggles for his hold at the start of set four, Royer continuing his strategy of all-out attack and, as I type, monstering a return cross-court that’s near enough a table-tennis smash – he’s properly enjoying himself. Djokovic, of course, responds with an ace, then Royer leaps to try the kind of backhand he invented, hitting the net. That’s 2-1 1-0 to the GOAT; on Lenglen, Paolini now leads Sierra 5-3.

Just as he looks out of things, Basavareddy shows signs of life, breaking Michelsen at the start of set three to trail 2-0 0-2. I’m going to forsake Paolini, who’s level at 3-3 with Sierra, to watch a bit of that before returning for the end of their first set.

A forehand on to the line from Djokovic, Royer replies in kind, and earns himself the rich, rare reward of applause from the greatest ever, who nets; set point again, this time on serve. And when he goes out wide, Djokovic’s return falls long, and the local man has done it! The crowd go wild, Royer poses for them, and into a fourth we go!

Royer hooks a forehand wide, meaning he’s down match point, but he does superbly to stay in the next rally, again sending Djokovic to the backhand corner, but this time he can’t quite send the ball down the line; 6-6. And what an effort this is from the underdog – he quickly makes 7-6 and set point – doing everything to get a forehand back from the corner, but the backhand to the opposite one is far too good. Meantime, Prizmic has taken the first against Fonseca, leading 6-3, while Paolini and Sierra are level at 2-2.

A ridiculous stretch and get from Djokovic, somehow redirecting a cross-court ball down the line for a winner, while performing the splits, gives him a 5-3 breaker lead, and he’s two points away from round three. But Royer opens shoulders to send a forehand to the corner, cleaning up via overhead, and we’re back on serve at 5-5.

Righto, it’s off to Chatrier, where Djokovic, up 6-3 6-2, now leads Royer 3-1 in their third-set tiebreak. Elsewhere, Prizmic is up 5-3 on Fonseca, Duckworth leads Jodat 1-1 3-2 with a break; Paolini and Sierra are level at 1-1 in the first; Halys leads Humbert 6-47-6 1-0 on serve; and Michelsen leads Basavareddy 7-6 6-3.

Mensik is up now; let’s hope he can get himself ready for round three, in which he’ll meet Alex de Minaur. He’ll sleep well tonight – or not at all, because his body and mind will be going through all sorts.

Oh man, that was so, so brilliant. Mensik is a serious talent, but today he showed the heart that will help him fulfil it – like when Andy Murray flexed his muscles after beating Richard Gasquet in 2008.

A big serve, a colossal inside-out forehand, and Mensik has won! He collapses, unable to move and in so much pain Navone has to come around the net to shake his hand and offer him a hand up. But he can’t accept it, lying on his back until medical expertise arrives, and really, it’s so moving to see someone expend so much for something that means so much. Godspeed, old mate.

This is serious behaviour from Mensik, whose body is packing up, yet he’s still hurling himself into every rally – this, my mates, is love – making 12-11 and raising another match point on serve.

Oh my days, Mensik clouts a backhand down the line … and into the net. He’s seriously struggling with cramp, playing for all the time he can get, so Navone grasses and the umpire hurries him up. Whereupon he unleashes a barrage of inside-out forehands to raise yet another match point, but can he push it through? He cannot, Navone hanging in the rally until the error comes. This breaker has now been going more than 22 minutes.