Wozniacki, who won the 2011 title in Dubai, also missed last week’s Qatar Open because of the issue which she first felt around the Christmas period and the problem lingered with her through the Australian Open. read more

Maria Sharapova has been struggling with a right shoulder problem which forced her withdrawal from the Saint Petersburg tournament last month. read more

Sharapova, 31, had been set to play fellow Russian Daria Kasatkina, the third seed in the tournament, in the second round. Kasatkina wins by walkover, organisers said. read more

The cameras dotted around Melbourne Park, which show players walking the corridors and making their way to the courts, were introduced this year and are not seen at any other major read more

Barty, 22, entered this year’s tournament as 15th seed but carries massive pressure from an Australian public desperate for Grand Slam success after becoming the first local to make the last eight in a decade. read more

Ashleigh Barty retired from tennis and in 2014 made the stunning announcement that she would instead play professional cricket in Brisbane, preferring a team sport over tennis’ gladiatorial ethos read more

Ash Barty didn’t want to play tennis. Didn’t want to watch tennis, or even talk about the sport. She took a break from the tour after the 2014 U.S. Open to explore another career — in cricket read more

The 31-year-old Russian was competitive during periods of her fourth-round clash with local hope Ashleigh Barty but ultimately lost in three sets after her serve fell apart mid-match. read more

The drama unfolded after Australian 15th seed Barty upset the Russian five-time Grand Slam champion 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena. read more

Barty will meet twice Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the quarter-finals after the eighth seed thrashed American teenager Amanda Anisimova. read more

The Russian will now take on local hope Ash Barty in the last 16 of the competition. read more

Sharapova has struggled since returning from a drugs ban in 2017 and is seeded 30th at the tournament, while Wozniacki is third seed after claiming her maiden major at Melbourne Park last year. read more

Maria Sharapova, who is seeded 30th at the tournament and seeking to recapture former glories after coming back from a drugs ban in 2017, brushed aside Swede Rebecca Peterson 6-2, 6-1 read more

Caroline Wozniacki snuffed out a late rally from the world number 77 to win 6-1, 6-3 and continue her bid to become the first woman to defend the Australian title since Victoria Azarenka in 2013. read more

The first meeting between the 17-times Grand Slam champion, a winner at Melbourne Park in 2009, and Australian wildcard Duckworth, who is ranked 238 in the world, always had the potential to be an uneven contest. read more