Hello and welcome to LIVE coverage of the first of the women's quarter-finals between third seed Simona Halep of Romania and Russian 10th seed Ekaterina Makarova.

An absolutely devastating loss for Halep today as her game completely deserted her. Makarova, though, kept her focus and is through to the last four in Melbourne where she awaits the winner between Maria Sharapova and Eugenie Bouchard.

Makarova 6-4 6-0 Halep. Game, set and match. Halep goes wide down the line with a forehand return of serve to hand Makarova three match point. The Russian serves out the match to love, booking her place in her first Australian Open semi-final, when Halep goes wide with a backhand down the line.

Makarova 6-4 5-0 Halep. Break. Wow. Halep goes wide across court with an inside out forehand for unforced error number 29. And it is quickly followed by unforced error number 30, a backhand into the net. Makarova has another break point for so much security in this second set. And that's exactly what the Russian has, Halep going desperately for a drop volley, off a serve and volley tactic, only for Makarova to easily get up to the ball. Halep's forehand volley goes well long and the Russian will have the chance to serve out the match after the change of ends.

Makarova 6-4 4-0 Halep. Better from Halep as she opens the game with a fantastic sliced backhand drop shot winner. 0-15 Halep. It quickly becomes 0-30 Halep as Makarova attempts the backhand drop shot but puts the ball in the net. The Russian gets off the mark with an inside out cross court forehand but another drop shot winner from Halep earns her a break back point. A gutsy serve from Makarova saves it, as Halep returns well long, while a solid point from Makarova saves a second break point when the Romanian nets. And it's another netted forehand from Halep that sees Makarova hold to consolidate the double break. She is potentially just two games away from the semi-finals now.

Makarova 6-4 3-0 Halep. Break. Halep has plenty of time to line up a cross court backhand but waits just a little too long to hit the ball and puts it into the net instead. Break point for Makarova to secure the double break. And once again the game goes on a Halep error, the Romanian pulling up on a cross court backhand and looping it long of the baseline.

Makarova 6-4 2-0 Halep. Makarova fails to find the court with a forehand to gift Halep three immediate break back points. The Romanian squanders all three with forehand errors that she would normally expect to do better with. Halep does deny Makarova on a couple of game points but still she can't really string anything together and the Russian goes on to hold with a big serve from which comes the Halep backhand error. Huge game coming up for the Romanian next.

Makarova 6-4 1-0 Halep. Break. A shorter ball from Halep is duly punished by Makarova as she fires an inside out forehand winner right into the corner of the court to level up at 30-all and immediately put pressure on the Romanian's serve early in this second set. An ace brings up game point for Halep but back-to-back doubles hand Makarova a break point. Halep finds some better movement in the game but cannot save the break point, going wide down the line with a forehand. Makarova has the set and a break lead now.

Makarova 6-4 Halep. Set. Makarova brings up two more set points, this time on her serve, by waiting until the last possible moment to play the ball up at the net. She waits just long enough to force Halep to pick a side before putting her forehand winner in the opposite direction. The first chance is saved by Halep with an Agnieszka Radwanska-like forehand winner crouched down to the point that she is almost sitting on the floor. But the Russian does wrap up the set at the third attempt when Halep nets a defensive, running backhand after a lengthy rally.

Makarova 5-4 Halep. The Romanian finally finds a forehand, battering a winner down the line, to save a first set point for Makarova. Halep then finds her first ace, actually the first ace of the match from either woman, to seal and at least force Makarova to serve for this first set.

Makarova 5-3 Halep. The Romanian squanders a golden opportunity to apply further pressure on Makarova when she shanks a forehand return while leading 15-30. An error from Makarova does gifts Halep another break back point but back-to-back forehand errors from the Romanian not only squander the chance but also help Makarova hold. The third seed will have to serve to stay in this opening set next.

Makarova 4-3 Halep. Both players are moving better in this latest game as they work each other from side to side. Halep, in particular, is so quick moving about the court in that fashion and finds an angled backhand winner to end one rally on her way to sealing a hold with a service winner.

Makarova 4-2 Halep. A horrible return of serve from Halep to end the game and ensure Makarova retains her one break advantage. The Romanian backed away from the ball in an attempt to fire a forehand down the line only to completely mis-time her shot and put the ball half way up the net instead.

Makarova 3-2 Halep. There's not been a great start to this match by either player as Halep holds to 15 to get her first game on serve on the scoreboard. Errors have characterised the match so far as Makarova goes wide with a cross court forehand to end the game.

Makarova 3-1 Halep. Break. A much better low backhand over the net from Halep looks like it is going to kick start her match as she injects the ball with a little bit more pace. Makarova can't quite get the ball up before the double bounce and it brings up two break back points for the Romanian. Halep squanders the first with a netted forehand while Makarova saves the second with a big first serve. But the Romanian is gifted a third chance and this time she does get one of the breaks back after a backhand error from Makarova.

Makarova 3-0 Halep. Break. The dreadful start from Halep continues despite the Romanian looking like she was finding her range at the beginning of the game. But consecutive double faults from Halep help Makarova to another break point, which she is then gifted when Halep goes wide with what should be an easy forehand volley. Halep puts it wide though and Makarova has a double break lead with less than 10 minutes on the clock.

Makarova 2-0 Halep. Clinical play from Makarova as she moves Halep from one side of the court to the other and back to the first again. Great defence from the Romanian to stay in the rally for longer than she has any right to be but eventually Makarova finds the backhand winner down the line. A rally like that could be just what Halep needs to get the breathing going and relax into the match a little though.

Makarova 1-0 Halep. Break. Halep has looked a little nervy in the early stages of matches in Melbourne and today proves to be no different as she shakes her arm out after going double break point down on a backhand error. But there's good forcing play from Makarova early on as she batters a couple of forehands across court before slicing a defensive forehand into the middle of the court. The ball position is not much to celebrate for the Russian but the amount of spin on the ball means Halep nets her forehand reply.

Makarova won the toss and elected to receieve so it will be the Romanian to get the clash underway...

It's ideal tennis conditions today; temperatures set to reach highs of 20/21 degrees celsius later in the later. For now though there are a few clouds and a little bit of a breeze around.

These two have met just once before in New Haven back in 2013 when Halep triumphed in two sets. The first set was not particularly competitive that day, the Romanian dropping just the one game. But the second set was won on a tie-break by Halep, 8-6 the score in that breaker.