0829 GMT: AFP's Asia sports editor Talek Harris is courtside. He tells me that it is a glorious evening at Melbourne Park, cool and breezy, as the sun dips in bright blue skies. Faint sound of bagpipes and long queues at the bars as Rod Laver Arena fills up. Neutrals favour Djokovic, but it's a very close call, says Harris.

0825 GMT: As you'd expect there are plenty of faces in the crowd at the Rod Laver Arena, among them Kevin Spacey, who has tweeted a pic of himself with the two finallists. Andre Agassi walks out with the trophy. We are about 20 minutes away from the off.

WELCOME TO AFP's LIVE REPORT of the Australian Open men's final, where the world number one Novak Djokovic faces Andy Murray as they renew a rivalry which has become the premier match-up in men's tennis.

Djokovic, the 2011 and 2012 champion, is bidding for the event's first hat-trick of the professional era, while US Open winner Murray can become the only player to open his Grand Slam account with back-to-back major titles.

The Serb and the Briton, both 25 and born only a week apart, have already met in two Grand Slam finals with Djokovic destroying Murray in straight sets in Melbourne two years ago.

However, an increasingly athletic Murray outlasted Djokovic in five sets in the US Open decider in December, when he finally landed a Grand Slam title after being runner-up four times.

The result broke a 76-year major drought for British men -- and it gave Murray added belief that he can win at the highest level, after also beating Roger Federer in last year's Olympic final.

Murray confirmed his new stature with a five-set defeat of Federer in the Melbourne semi-finals, his first ever Grand Slam win against the Swiss, and goes into the title match with his confidence high.