Serena was scheduled to face Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova.
Top seeded Ash Barty overcame a slow start to defeat Maria Sharapova 6-4 6-1, while Simona Halep battled past Ekaterina Alexandrova 3-6 7-5 6-4 in the second round of the Cincinnati Masters on Wednesday.
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Six times a men's singles champion Down Under, the Serbian will be joined in making a return at MelbournePark by 2008 women's champion Maria Sharapova, who missed last year's tournament because of a doping ban.
Asked after the match how she was feeling about her early departure, Halep replied that she was 'used to it'.
Naomi Osaka beat Jennifer Brady to win her second Australian Open title and fourth Grand Slam crown, extending her win streak to 21 matches.
American Serena Williams withdrew from the French Open on Monday, shortly before she was due on court to face Maria Sharapova in a much-anticipated fourth round showdown.
American Sofia Kenin counter-punched her way back from a set down against Garbine Muguruza to win her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win in Melbourne on Saturday.
Maria Sharapova says her Australian Open preparations have gone smoothly despite her lack of recent on-court action, all barring a mix-up at the Melbourne Park laundry over a pair of leopard print underwear.
Sharapova was broken in the first game but fought back to draw level before going on to take the first set with a hold to love.
Images from the French Open matches played at the Roland Garros in Paris on Saturday.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Wednesday
The games were scheduled to start at 1000 am local time (2300 GMT) but did not get underway until about 1130 after Victoria state's environment watchdog said air quality had plunged to "hazardous" levels overnight.
Caroline Garcia was knocked out of the French Open fourth round by Angelique Kerber on Monday, but the local favourite is confident that she has what it takes to become the first French Grand Slam champion since 2013.
Order of play on the main show courts at the French Open.
Maria Sharapova knows the pitfalls of being a prodigy and after easing into the fourth round at Roland Garros the seasoned grand slam champion offered some sage advice to the new generation in women's tennis.
Images from Day 9 of the Australian Open on Tuesday.
The Australian fell to the floor in celebration after clinching the victory, before sticking a finger behind his ear and asking the raucous crowd to cheer louder.
Former world number one Novak Djokovic showed signs of a return to form with an impressive 7-5, 6-4 victory over Japan's Kei Nishikori in the opening round of the Madrid Open on Monday.
"I prayed hard. Prayers not to win but for strength. All glory to God," the World No 1 said.
Fourth seed Angelique Kerber's bid for consecutive Grand Slam titles ended when 29th seed Dominika Cibulkova defeated the German 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the US Open third round on Saturday.
The German fifth seed kicks off her campaign against compatriot Tatjana Maria on Tuesday, but could potentially face three former champions in Serena Williams, Garbine Muguruza and Maria Sharapova if she goes deep into the tournament.
Images from the opening day of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, on Monday.
World No 1 Serena Williams continued her decade-long domination over Maria Sharapova with a clinical 6-4, 6-3 win on Thursday to reach her ninth Sony Open final.
World number one Rafael Nadal begins his French Open title defence, on Monday, with a clash against Italy's Simone Bolelli on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
The Scot lost 6-4, 6-4 to Richard Gasquet in his first singles match since January before saying he had turned down a wild card into the men's draw at the year's final Grand Slam.
Big names and young guns turn up the heat at US Open
Images from Day 7 of the 2022 French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on Saturday.
World No 1 Novak Djokovic praised the battling spirit of Nicolas Mahut after he thrashed the injured Frenchman 6-0, 6-1, 6-1 in 74 minutes on Saturday to reach the Australian Open last 16.
World number one Simona Halep has twice been left heartbroken in her quest for Grand Slam glory in Paris. Yet even now, standing just two wins away from redemption, she says she feels no pressure.
Serena Williams recovered from a set down to beat Australian Ashleigh Barty 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 and book a place in the third round.
The list pays tribute to the most stylish athletes in sport, including stars at the top of their games in tennis, basketball, football, golf and more.
World No 1 Serena Williams's 27-match unbeaten run ended with a 6-2, 6-3 defeat by Petra Kvitova in the Madrid Open.
Images from Day 12 of the 2021 French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on Thursday.
Veteran Tommy Haas backed up his upset of World No 1 Novak Djokovic with a quarter-final victory over Gilles Simon on Wednesday to advance to a semi-final against David Ferrer at the Sony Open in Miami.
Former champion Caroline Wozniacki battled through a marathon encounter to upset fourth-seeded German Angelique Kerber 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 on Friday and reach her third BNP Paribas Open final in four years.
Images from the matches played at the Australian Open on Sunday.
German veteran Tommy Haas provided a reminder of his claycourt skills to beat Stanislas Wawrinka on Thursday and reach the quarter-finals of the Rome Masters where Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray will resume their rivalry.
Security worries could create a tense atmosphere at the French Open this year after a bomb attack on a British concert hall killed 22 people, French tennis player Lucas Pouille said.
Key facts and records of American Serena Williams and Canada's Bianca Andreescu