Edmund came through five sets in the heat of the day against Nikoloz Basilashvili on Friday, having already gone the distance with Kevin Anderson in the first round.
And he was hoping to reach the quarter-final of a Grand Slam for the very first time against Andreas Seppi.
Nadal meanwhile had failed to drop a set and was hoping to continue that form ahead of the second week – Marin Cilic awaits him in the quarter-final after winning earlier today.
- Caroline Wozniacki through in straight sets
- Marin Cilic edges past Pablo Carreno Busta
- Rafael Nadal takes lead against Diego Schwartzman
- Kyle Edmund in action against Andreas Seppi
- Grigor Dimitrov vs Nick Kyrgios (8am)
Australian Open 2018 LIVE
8.20am: Rafael Nadal has won at last in a little under four hours. That was a gruelling effort from the Spaniard – Schwartzman just wouldn’t go away.
He is through to the quarter-final though and he looks extremely pumped.
8am: You feel Seppi might be trying to break the rhythm of Edmund a little – although he probably has a sore shoulder too, which is why the trainer is out and working on the Italian.
7.45am: Kyle Edmund takes the third set at a canter! He breaks again and is now favourite to reach the quarter-finals. What a story!
7.40am: After saving all those break points, Nadal has a break of his own in the fourth set. No 1 seed closing in on his toughest win of the week.
7.35am: Fabulous from Edmund, whose serve and forehand is running away with the third set. He leads 4-2.
On Rod Laver, Nadal has saved five more break points to make it 13 in total in the match… still on serve in the fourth though.
7.10am: Bit more like normal service resumed for Rafa, who holds to love to clinch the third set. Edmund has a set now too to make it 1-1. The Brit has gone off-court for a comfort break – but I wouldn’t worry about comfort. He’s already gone to five sets twice this week.
6.50am: It’s not getting any easier for Nadal, who has to save two break points in the opening game of the third set. It’s still on serve in the third but Schwartzman is pushing the Spaniard.
It’s on serve in Edmund vs Seppi too at 4-3 but you feel like the Brit is closer to a break.
6.25am: Tie-breaks galore. Edmund has beaten himself a bit there, with Seppi making just five unforced errors while the Brit has made 23 and the Italian takes the first set 7-4 in the breaker.
On Rod Laver, both players broke three times in that second set and have ended up requiring a tie-break – and Schwartzman has levelled the match! Nadal has dropped his first set of the tournament.
6.05am: Very good serving under pressure from Edmund, who saves five break points in game eight to keep the set on serve. Nadal is also battling to hold serve – he’s been broken for a second time by Schwartzman and they’re back on serve in a ding-dong second set.
5.50am: Zipping through the first set with Edmund and Seppi with both men finding their rhythm on serve and on forehand. It’s 3-3 so far with neither player really threatening a break.
But Nadal has a break again and leads 4-2. Schwartzman giving him a decent workout though, with the Spaniard forced to save a break point even in that most recent game.
5.30am: Bright. And. Early. Well, not necessarily bright. But definitely early. Kyle Edmund, folks. Kyle blooming Edmund. Never will he get a better chance to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final. He is just getting underway against Andreas Seppi, whom he has beaten before.
Rafael Nadal is already going over on Rod Laver Arena. The world No 1 is up a set against No 24 seed Diego Schwartzman and was a break up in the second but the Argentinian has hit back and it is 2-2.