Serena Williams was sensationally knocked out of the Australian Open third round by China's Wang Qiang on Friday, torpedoing her bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam crown.

Flamboyant Nick Kyrgios suffered a fright before reaching the Australian Open third round on Thursday as the weather-disrupted tournament faced a new challenge: dirty rain, which left courts muddy and unplayable.

Fifteen-year-old prodigy Coco Gauff set up an Australian Open blockbuster with defending champion Naomi Osaka on Wednesday, as a pumped-up Serena Williams took another step towards a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title.

Serena Williams admitted she was frustrated and not at her best as she fought off a stubborn Tamara Zidansek to reach the Australian Open third round on Wednesday.

Maria Sharapova burst onto the scene as a supremely gifted teenager and won five Grand Slams before serving a drugs ban, but at age 32 a persistent injury has now thrown her turbulent career into grave doubt.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic despatched Japanese wildcard Tatsuma Ito 6-1 6-4 6-2 to reach the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday.

Britain’s Dan Evans insists he’s in good nick after coming through a five-set epic at the Australian Open, patting his stomach in celebration in a nod to the doubters.

Top seed Rafael Nadal turned on the style as he launched his bid for a record-equalling 20th Major title at the Australian Open on Tuesday, but falling star Maria Sharapova hit a career low.

Top seed Rafael Nadal turned on the style as he launched his bid for a record-equalling 20th Major title at the Australian Open on Tuesday, but falling star Maria Sharapova hit a career low.

Former champion Maria Sharapova made her earliest Australian Open exit in a decade on Tuesday and said she was unsure whether her troublesome shoulder injury would allow her to return next year.

Novak Djokovic survived a scare to join Roger Federer and Serena Williams in the Australian Open second round as heavy downpours caused chaos on Monday, forcing organisers to postpone a swathe of matches.

Second seed Novak Djokovic was forced to work hard by unwavering German Jan-Lennard Struff in his first match of the Australian Open on Monday before prevailing 7-6(5) 6-2 2-6 6-1 to stay on course for a record-extending eighth title at Melbourne Park.

Fifteen-year-old American Coco Gauff said she's on "a mission to be the greatest" on Monday after stunning veteran Venus Williams once again in the first round of a Grand Slam.

Serena Williams and Roger Federer avoided chaos caused by rain at the Australian Open on Monday as heavy downpours forced organisers to postpone a swathe of matches on the first day.

Old stagers Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams will aim to keep the younger generation of players waiting in the wings as Grand Slam tennis enters a new decade at the Australian Open on Monday.

Tempers flared at the Australian Open qualifying on Wednesday as players battled through another day of smoky air and two of the game’s all-time greats were labelled “selfish” for not protesting about the conditions.

Tennis superstars Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal jointly donated Aus$250,000 (US$172,000) for Australian bushfire relief at a charity fundraiser in smoggy Melbourne on Wednesday.

Tempers flared at the Australian Open qualifying on Wednesday as players battled through another day of smoky air and two of the game's all-time greats were labelled "selfish" for not protesting about the conditions.

World number one Ashleigh Barty survived a scare yesterday before battling through her opening match at the Adelaide International to beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in three tough sets.

India's former doubles world number one Sania Mirza made a winning return to tennis Tuesday at the Hobart International after more than two years on maternity leave.