Australian Open Glance: Serena plays Halep in 4th round

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A quick look at the Australian Open:

LOOKAHEAD TO MONDAY

It sounds like a compelling match-up for the fourth round: seven-time tournament champion plays the top-ranked player in the world. But on paper, Serena Williams owns No. 1 Simona Halep. Williams has beaten Halep eight times out of nine on tour. Halep's sole win came in straight sets at the WTA Championships in 2014.  The last time the players met was the 2016 U.S. Open quarterfinals, when Williams won in three sets. That was when Halep was ranked fourth and before Williams had a baby daughter. Halep says Willliams will be a "huge challenge for her. Williams says she hasn't faced a No. 1-ranked player since her return to the tour following her maternity leave, so it will be a good indication of where her game is. Among other fourth-round matches, U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka plays Anastasija Sevastova. Among the men's Round of 16 matches, top-seeded and six-time champion Novak Djokovic plays Daniil Medvedev and fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev meets No. 16 Milos Raonic.

MONDAY'S SCHEDULE

Rod Laver Arena from 0000 GMT (7 p.m. EST): Osaka vs. Sevastova; Zverev vs. Raonic; from 0800 GMT (3 a.m. EST): Halep vs. Williams, Djokovic vs. Medvedev.  Margaret Court Arena: from 0000 GMT (7 p.m. EST):  Madison Keys vs. Elina Svitolina, Garbine Muguruza vs. Karolina Pliskova; Pablo Carreno Busta vs. Kei Nishikori. Melbourne Arena: 0700 GMT (2 a.m. EST): Borna Coric vs. Lucas Pouille.

MONDAY'S FORECAST

Mostly sunny, high of 27 Celsius (81 Fahrenheit)

SUNDAY'S WEATHER

Mostly sunny, high of 23 C (73 F).

SUNDAY'S  RESULTS

Men's 4th round: No. 2 Rafael Nadal beat Tomas Berdych 6-0, 6-1, 7-6 (4); Frances Tiafoe beat No. 20 Grigor Dimitrov 7-5, 7-6 (6), 6-7 (1), 7-5.

Women's 4th round: Danielle Collins beat No. 2 Angelique Kerber 6-0, 6-2; No. 8 Petra Kvitova beat Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 6-1; No. 15 Ashleigh Barty beat No. 30 Maria Sharapova 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

STAT OF THE DAY

10 — number of years since an Australian woman has been in a quarterfinal at Melbourne Park, until Barty advanced.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"From the very first point, I showed her that I wasn't going to let her into the match" — Collins on her upset win over Kerber.

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