Serena Williams beat her sister Venus 6-4, 6-4 in the Australian Open final on Saturday to win her 23rd grand slam singles title and become the most successful tennis player in the open era.
So prior to their Melbourne Park rematch, former champion Sharapova said she was primed and ready for another drawn out dog-fight against the 14th seed.
Coco Gauff, 18, is the youngest finalist at Roland Garros since Kim Clijsters in 2001.
Top seed Andy Murray could meet Roger Federer or Kei Nishikori in the third round, while Serena faces tricky Belinda Bencic in opening round
Former champion Maria Sharapova found inspiration in a change of dress to put away unseeded American Lauren Davis 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-0 at the Australian Open on Friday and set up an intriguing fourth round match with rising Swiss talent Belinda Bencic.
Images from the matches played on Day 10 at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Wednesday
A win for Djokovic would move him past Pete Sampras (14) to outright third on the list of Grand Slam title winners.
Images from all the action on Day 9 at the Australian Open in Melbourne on Wednesday
Images from all the action on Day 4 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Thursday
As Serena Williams sits out a fourth straight Grand Slam, Simona Halep and Karolina Pliskova will join Caroline Wozniacki in a quest for a major breakthrough in Australia.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal take to Rod Laver Arena to reprise one of the great sporting rivalries of the modern age on Sunday, a fitting climax to an Australian Open which has sent tennis back to the future.
Images from Day 6 of the Australian Open in Melbourne, on Saturday.
Venus Williams's encouraging form at the Australian Open has given younger sister Serena cause to look over her shoulder after the siblings eased into the third round with straight-sets wins at Melbourne Park on Thursday.
Novak Djokovic and Rogerer Federer loom over Melbourne Park for the year's opening Grand Slam as favourites for the Australian Open as questions remain as to whether one of Generation Next could finally end their stranglehold.
Images from Day 8 of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Monday.
As the players warm up before the tournament, meet the players who could well be contenders for the 2017 Australian Open titles.
" As six-time Melbourne Park champion, Serena will be clear favourite, of course, more so because she has reached her 34th grand slam semi-final without losing a set. Lucic-Baroni's path to the last four has been more of a battle, as befits a woman who has overcome huge adversity to get back to the top of the game after years in the wilderness.
Minnows Austria continued to impress in the ongoing men's Junior Hockey World Cup as they spanked declining Asian powerhouse Korea 5-2 in Lucknow on Saturday to remain in contention for a surprise quarter-final berth from Pool A in the 16-team tournament.
Images from matches played on Day 7 at the Australian Open in Melbourne Park on Sunday
Images from Day 5 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Friday.
