If the quarter-final between Justine Henin and Maria Sharapova is only half as enthralling as the pair's last meeting, then Melbourne Park fans will be in for another exciting night of tennis on Day 9.
Henin and Sharapova, who have nine Grand Slam titles between them, last met in the Tour Championships final in Madrid, with the Belgian emerging victorious from a match which lasted three hours and 24 minutes, the longest in the Open era.
"Physically she got me in the end. She was fresher than I was in the end. But it was a good match," said Sharapova.
"And I still had many chances, you know. I was very close to winning that match. But this one's a new one. I'm looking forward to it."
Both players enter this match in impeccable form. Henin has won 33 matches on end since being beaten in the semi-finals of Wimbledon last year, while Sharapova has dropped just 16 games in her four matches this campaign.
Henin is a rare breed in the women's game. The owner of the most beautiful one-handed backhand on the tour, Henin, like Martina Hingis before her, prefers precision over power.
"I don't play the same tennis as the other girls. They're hitting the ball very hard. I just try to use different things. I try to mix it up a little bit more," said the Belgian world No.1.
"I can be powerful when I want. I'm not scared of the long rallies or of the girls hitting the ball hard because I know I can do it myself. But I can change the rhythms, can use different things."
The winner of the Henin-Sharapova battle will meet either No.3 seed Jelena Jankovic or defending champion Serena Williams, who have been slated to play the opening match on Rod Laver Arena on Day 9.
The streamlined Williams has not dropped a set thus far in the tournament and was far too strong for Nicole Vaidisova, a semi-finalist here last year, in the round of 16.
In contrast, Jankovic, who had nose surgery to correct breathing problems late last year, has had a torrid run.
She came perilously close to being dumped in the first round when she won the deciding set 12-10 and was again taken the distance two matches later by Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano.
"My body's not that ready," Jankovic said of her gruelling run. "But I have to go through this in order to get stronger and get better."
In the men's draw, No.2 seed Rafael Nadal will start a hot favourite against Finn Jarkko Nieminen.
Unlike last year when Nadal warmed up for his quarter-final with a five-set struggle against Andy Murray, the Spaniard will be fresh as a daisy after his fourth-round match was cut short in the second set due to his opponent retiring.
So fresh, that he spent his day off on the practice court.
"Because I have not a lot of hours on court," he said.
The final match of the day sees French sensation Jo-Wilfried Tsonga battle Russian No.14 seed Mikhail Youzhny.
Tsonga, who bears an uncanny resemblance to a young Muhammad Ali, has already seen off top-10 players Murray and Richard Gasquet en route to his maiden Grand Slam quarter-final.
Youzhny has hardly made a headline in Melbourne but has some impressive results. He crushed big-serving Croatian Ivo Karlovic in the third round and had no problems disposing compatriot and world No.4 Nikolay Davydenko to reach the quarters.
If he is only marginally off his game, he could be the latest to feel Tsonga's sting.
