Federer was handed the perfect Thursday schedule on a day when the weather has been the main talking point, second on Rod Laver Arena.

The Swiss likes to play in the same session - day or night - throughout a tournament and has been granted that so far, meaning he will be playing in the relatively cool conditions of the late evening in Melbourne.

Conversely, one of his main rivals Novak Djokovic specifically requested to play during the day against Gael Monfils, a decision he might have regretted when the mercury reached 38 degrees.

But he still made it through to the third round, where Federer will hope to join him.

Express Sport brings you all the latest action from Melbourne.

Australian Open 2018 LIVE - Federer vs Struff

(* denotes next to serve)

11.10am: Some bad news for Swiss fans elsewhere though. Stan Wawrinka, who had knee surgery last year, has limped to a straight-sets defeat against Tennys Sandgren. I'm not sure Stan should ever have played this week. Nowhere near fit.

ROGER FEDERER WINS THE FIRST SET 6-4

Federer is finding lines with his serve all over the shop and there's not much Struff, not the strongest returner on tour, can do about it.

The Swiss misses out on his first set point thanks to some wonderful hitting from the baseline on the other side and on the second one his body serve is well returned back into his backhand wing. But it's third time lucky, a fine ace out wide, and it's business as usual for the world No 2.

*Federer 5-4 Struff

Federer will have to serve for it as Struff finds some backhand power to match his forehand fire.

Federer 5-3 Struff*

Struff manages to get to 30-30 and when he gets aced out wide, decides to throw a challenge at it. The ball is plumb on the line. Still a good challenge though. Set is quickly fading away from him.

*Federer 4-3 Struff

Struff trades a love hold of his own, although it's nearly a costly one when Federer belts a backhand STRAIGHT at him. The German only just gets out of the way and watches the ball fly long. Could have been nasty.

Federer 4-2 Struff*

Break consolidated. To love. Ruthless.

*Federer 3-2 Struff

There's a serve-and-volley or two which is one way to play Roger Federer - I don't think it's an effective strategy unless he starts chipping serves back and he's a good enough returner to do more than that. I know the courts are quick but if you give this guy a target, he will hit it.

Doesn't help when you miss volleys either and that sets up break point which Federer promptly converts. First blood to the Swiss.

Federer 2-2 Struff*

That was a trademark Federer hold. To love, under 90 seconds, pressure straight back on his opponent.

*Federer 1-2 Struff

Federer forces the first break point of the match when he reads a big forehand of a short ball so early and ends up on the winning side. But Struff's serve gets him out of trouble.

Early signs of trouble for the German...

Federer 1-1 Struff*

Struff looks like he's happy to trade forehands from the baseline, and rightly. He's got some power. But Federer still manages to hold.

*Federer 0-1 Struff

Plenty of fire on this Struff serve. 19 aces in the first round. He's not hit one yet tonight but he's on the board already.

10.30am: Here come the players. Not long to go now. good thing too - it's half nine at night local time.

10.15am: Barty wins! From a set down, the former cricketer is through to the third round.

Federer O'Clock...

10.05am: (Imagine my next comment in the voice of the professor from Futurama) Good news everyone!

No but really, this is good news. Barty is steam-rollering the final set, serving at 4-0. Federer should be lacing up those pink shoes.

9.45am: Bad news if you're awaiting Federer. Ashleigh Barty has taken the second set and is into a decider. The Australian crowd are thrilled, mind. Could be as much as an hour before the big dog is let out of the kennel.

9.15am: Did everybody enjoy their lie-in? Or have you all been up all night watching some enthralling tennis? Well I had a kip and said lie-in treated me wonderfully.

But I woke up to news of sweltering heat in Melbourne and seed carnage everywhere. David Goffin and Sam Querrey gone, Garbine Muguruza and Johanna Konta out too, and Dominic Thiem had to come from two sets down to beat Denis Kudla in five.

Can't imagine Roger Federer will be engaging in any of that five-set nonsense but you never know - Jan-Lennard Struff has a habit of nicking sets against top players and has fire on his serve. He managed 19 aces in his first-round win.

First though, we need Ashleigh Barty and Camila Giorgi to finish their match on Rod Laver. Giorgi leads after taking the first set 7-5 but the No 18 seed looks poised to mount a comeback so we could be here a while...