Onlookers with a heart would worry about Sharapova this morning (insert time of your choosing), perhaps feel a little sorry for the multimillionaire, five-time Grand Slam champion. 

Reading the Russian's record against Williams is enough to make the reader wince, you can't quite believe what you're seeing. It's a bit like watching One Born Every Minute, I suppose. 

Williams has won 18 of their 20 previous encounters but, hang on, what have we here: two break points Sharapova! Williams' backhand faltering, the radar not quite in tune with the racquet. 

Another backhand long from Williams and Sharapova makes the perfect start. 

It's a gloriously sunny day in Melbourne and our two quarter-finalists are warming up on Rod Laver Arena. Play will shortly begin. 

To set the scene, and for those interested in such things, Williams is sporting a daffodil yellow dress, Sharapova is in a peach outfit. 

Neither are smiling. Now is not the time to tap either on the shoulder and ask for a selfie. 

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It's one of the best-known stats in the sport: Maria Sharapova has not beaten Serena Williams since 2004, the last victory coming in the Tour Championships final. 

Some would say it would be easier for the Russian to climb Everest in flip-flops than to topple the champion on a tennis court. Not me, of course. 

Here are the stats: Williams has won the last 17 matches, losing just three sets. THREE SETS! The defending champion is the overwhelming favourite. 

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Hello! First of all, Happy Australia Day. Secondly, welcome to live coverage of the most one-sided rivalry in tennis as defending champion Serena Williams attempts to put one over on Maria Sharapova. Again. 

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It was a different age, only a little over a decade ago perhaps, but much has changed since 2004. 

A site known as Thefacebook was in its infancy, used exclusively by Harvard graduates, the term 'wardrobe malfunction' had just become part of our lexicon. Heck, there hasn't been a new Friends episode since 2004. 

And, here's the hook, it was in 2004 that a cherubic Maria Sharapova beat Serena Williams to win Wimbledon. It would be the start, so we thought, of one of sport's great rivalries. 

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