Simona Halep set up a last 16 meeting with Serena Williams ©Getty Images

World number one Simona Halep set up a last-16 showdown with Serena Williams at the Australian Open after dispatching the American’s older sister Venus in straight sets in Melbourne.

The Romanian player came into the first Grand Slam of the season on the back of five straight defeats.

The French Open champion appears to be regaining her form as she eased past Venus Williams at the Margaret Court Arena.

The 6-2, 6-3 success against the American was Halep’s first straight sets victory at this year’s event.

Halep will next face Serena Williams, who despite being seeded 16th, has been viewed as the tournament favourite.

The seven-time Australian Open winner was a comfortable 6-2, 6-1 victor against Ukrainian youngster Dayana Yastremska.

Williams is seeking to match Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 major titles and will head into her match with Halep with confidence having beaten the Romanian in eight of their last nine meetings.

The American nearly matched Court’s tally at last year’s US Open, but was beaten by Japan’s Naomi Osaka in the final.

Osaka appeared on course for a third round exit in Melbourne, after losing the opening set of her match to Hsieh Su-wei of Chinese Taipei before she battled back to earn a three-set 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 triumph.

The fourth seed will now face Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova, who beat China’s Wang Qiang 6-3, 6-3.

Novak Djokovic kept his pursuit of a seventh Australian Open title on track ©Getty Images
Novak Djokovic kept his pursuit of a seventh Australian Open title on track ©Getty Images

Spain’s Garbiñe Muguruza came through a tough opening set against Switzerland’s Timea Bacsinszky before sealing a 7-6, 6-2 win.

Muguruza now faces the Czech Republic’s Karolína Plíšková, who beat Italy's Camila Giorgi 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.

Men’s world number one Novak Djokovic continued to impress as the Serbian aims for a record seventh title at the tournament.

The six-time Australian Open champion claimed the opening two sets 6-3, 6-4 against Canada’s Denis Shapovalov, before expressing irritation at a decision to turn on floodlights on the court.

Shapovalov’s seized on Djokovic’s distraction to claim the third set 6-4 but the 19-year-old was unable to press on as he lost the fourth 6-0.

Djokovic will now meet Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in the fourth round after the Russian won 6-2, 7-6, 6-3 against Belgium’s David Goffin.

Fourth seed Alexander Zverev kept his bid for a maiden Grand Slam title on track as the German overcame Australian wildcard Alex Bolt 6-3, 6-3, 6-2.

He now faces Canada’s Milos Raonic, who was a 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 winner over Pierre-Hugues Herbert of France.