Here’s the latest on play tonight, and we’re in for a late one …

After hours of rain, play on the outside courts has finally resumed. As there are floodlights on all courts, play is set to continue to about 11pm, allowing for the backlog of matches to be cleared. This means there are more than four hours of play left. However, some matches have been moved to Monday.

Back on court: Play will continue deep into the night after a major rain delay today.Credit: nna\damien.mccartney

Organisers are confident the shift to a three-day, first-round of matches, which began last year, means the overall schedule remains on track. Play won’t start any earlier than the usual 11am on Monday.

Meanwhile, it’s been a bumper opening day of the Australian Open with tens of thousands of patrons heading to Melbourne Park despite the rain delays. Organisers have just released the official attendance for the Sunday day session – 55,704 fans went through the gates.