MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Latest news from the seventh day of the Australian Open on Sunday (all times GMT):

0340 WILLIAMS ON MEETING SHARAPOVA

“I had no idea who I was playing. She had a really good match earlier but I’ve got nothing to lose and will just do my best.”

0339 WILLIAMS SETS UP SHARAPOVA QUARTER-FINAL

Williams against Sharapova in a re-match of last year’s final it is. The world number one hammers down a thumping unreturnable serve to beat Gasparyan 6-2 6-1.

0230 SHARAPOVA ON HER WIN

“I was really focused today … it’s always great to play a player that’s coming up for the first time.”

0221 NISHIKORI HAMMERS TSONGA

Japan’s Kei Nishikori has set up a likely quarter-final with reigning champion Novak Djokovic after a straightforward 6-4 6-2 6-4 victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Djokovic meets Frenchman Gilles Simon later on Sunday.

0217 SHARAPOVA ACES YOUNGSTER BENCIC

Fifth seed Maria Sharapova ramped up her serve to dismiss Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic 7-5 7-5 and reach the quarter-finals for her 601st Tour victory.

The 2008 champion will play the winner of reigning champion Serena Williams’s match against Margarita Gasparyan.

0010 PLAY BEGINS ON MAIN SHOWCOURTS

Play began on the covered showcourts on a rainy day in Melbourne with the temperature 18 degrees Celsius (64 Fahrenheit).

0005 ORDER OF PLAY (PREFIX DENOTES SEEDING)

ROD LAVER ARENA

5-Maria Sharapova (Russia) v 12-Belinda Bencic (Switzerland)

1-Serena Williams (U.S.) v Margarita Gasparyan (Russia)

1-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) v 14-Gilles Simon (France)

From 0800 GMT

10-Carla Suarez Navarro (Spain) v Daria Gavrilova(Australia)

3-Roger Federer (Switzerland) v 15-David Goffin (Belgium)

MARGARET COURT ARENA

Not before 0530 GMT

24-Roberto Bautista Agut (Spain) v 6-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic)

HISENSE ARENA

9-Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France) v 7-Kei Nishikori (Japan)

Not before 0600 GMT

4-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) v Anna-Lena Friedsam (Germany)

(Editing by Peter Rutherford)