Russian third seed Maria Sharapova was a champion at Melbourne Park in 2008.
- Maria Sharapova suffers shock defeat at the Australian Open
- The third seed loses in three sets to Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova
- World No. 1 Rafael Nadal into the quarterfinals after beating Japan's Kei Nishikori
- Fourth seed Andy Murray also into the last eight with a win over Stephane Robert
(CNN) -- First Serena Williams, now Maria Sharapova. Another day at the Australian Open, another top female star out of the season's first grand slam title.
One day after world No. 1 Williams was dumped out in Melbourne, third seed Sharapova followed suit as she surrendered a one-set lead against Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova to lose 3-6 6-4 6-1.
It was the second time 20th seed Cibulkova has beaten the Russian at a grand slam and Sharapova, who required treatment on a hip injury between the second and third sets, admitted her performances in Melbourne have not been good enough.
"I haven't been playing the best tennis of this tournament, but I found ways to get through to the last two matches," Sharapova, a winner of this tournament in 2008, told reporters.
"Tried to do that again today, but she played extremely well."
Li Na faced a battle to stay cool and to stay in the Australian Open against Lucie Safarova. 
Li's compatriot Zheng Jie needed medical treatment for heat stress during her 6-2 6-4 defeat by Casey Dellacqua. "I felt so hot, my mind wasn't working," said Zheng. "I was looking at the ball, but I couldn't focus on it. Then I couldn't concentrate. This weather is very difficult for me. 
Serena Williams looked in complete control during her straight-sets win over Vesna Dolonc on Wednesday, but the top seed admitted to waking up in the middle of the night due to fears over dehydration. 
Maria Sharapova wrapped ice around her neck in a bid to keep cool during her first round win over Bethanie Mattek-Sands. 
Playing early in the day on Tuesday, Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro felt the heat during his win over American Rhyne Williams. 
It all got to much for Canadian Frank Dancevic who fainted during his match with Frenchman Benoit Paire. 
Italy's 15th seed Fabio Fognini took an outdoor shower in a bid to stay cool. 
Some fans also adopted the Fognini approach... 
While supporters in the Rod Laver Arena could at least take cover under its roof, fans on the outside courts were exposed to the elements. 
With temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius at the Australian Open, sport scientist Dr. Ross Tucker suggests any player hoping to succeed Down Under should take up Bikram Yoga. 
Men's fourth seed Andy Murray is a long-term practitioner of bikram yoga. Clearly comfortable in the heat, he's reached the final in Melbourne in three of the last four years, though the Scot has questioned if the players' health is being put at risk. 
While some chose to head to Melbourne Park, other Melbournians chose to hit St. Kilda beach. Australian Open hots up 
Grigor Dimitrov won his first ATP Tour title in October 2013, and is seeking to make his own name in the game after being compared to a young Roger Federer during his early years on the scene. 
Giant Pole Jerzy Janowicz came to grand slam prominence when he reached the semifinals at Wimbledon 2013, losing to eventual champion Andy Murray. The previous year he made it to the final of the Paris Masters. 
Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta is hoping to make the step up this year after impressing on the second-tier Challenger circuit, winning a string of titles in 2013. 
Big-serving Milos Raonic, hailed by some as the next Pete Sampras, was the ATP's rookie of the year in 2011 and has already won five titles, but the Canadian is still to get past the fourth round of a grand slam. 
Former junior world No. 1 Nick Kyrgios is hoping to follow in the footsteps of compatriot Bernard Tomic in establishing himself on the senior circuit. While injury ended Tomic's 2014 Australian Open, Kyrgios won his opening match to the delight of the home crowd. Who will be the next men's tennis star? Sharapova, a four-time grand slam winner, refused to blame the injury for her surprise defeat.
"I don't think it's rocket science," added the 26-year-old. "Just when you play a lot of tennis, you're going to get these types of aches and pains and certain movements that you feel it on."
Cibulkova's reward for reaching the last eight at Melbourne Park for the first time in her career is a match against 11th seed Simona Halep, who also eliminated a top 10 player in world No. 8 Jelena Jankovic.
Sharapova's loss means double defending champion Victoria Azarenka is now the red hot favorite to win a third consecutive Australian Open title.
Azarenka's cause will be helped by cooler temperatures, with players finally granted respite from last week's scorching heat.
The world No. 2 is the only former champion left in the women's draw after she confidently dispatched American rising star Sloane Stephens 6-3 6-2.
Although her chief rivals for the title have been eliminated, Azarenka is taking nothing for granted ahead of a meeting with fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska or Spain's Garbine Muguruza.
Novak Djokovic contemplates his fate ahead of his retirement with heat exhaustion in a quarterfinal match against Andy Roddick at the Australian Open in 2009. 
Djokovic used ice-soaked towels in an attempt to cool down in the searing afternoon temperatures in Melbourne. 
Spectators wear towels to beat the heat as Tatsuma Ito of Japan played Nicolas Mahut of France on the fourth day of the 2012 tournament in Melbourne. 
Maria Sharapova described conditions as "inhuman" after her infamous 2007 encounter at Melbourne Park with France's Camille Pin. 
Spectators during the 2009 tournament use a time-honored fashion to cool themselves down in the blazing heat. 
Andy Murray tries to acclimatize himself to the searing conditions during the hottest championship on record in 2009 at Melbourne Park. Feeling the heat: Australian Open fears 
Ana Ivanovic is at a major crossroads in her career, heading into the new season with hopes of breaking back into the world top 10 for the first time since May 2009 after an injury-plagued few years. 
At the age of 17 she stormed to the quarterfinals of the 2005 French Open, knocking out third seed Amelie Mauresmo in the process. 
Three years later, the Serbian clinched her maiden grand slam with a win at the French Open in 2008 and was the world No. 1 for the first time in her career. 
The 26-year-old has hired and fired a number of different coaches over the years, including former head of English women's tennis Nigel Sears, who she split with in July 2013 after crashing out in the second round at Wimbledon. 
She slid as low as 65th in the rankings in July 2010 after a series of injuries, and has not reached the final four of a grand slam since her French Open win in 2008. 
While her on-court success has plummeted, Ivanovic's financial fortunes appear more resilient. Forbes rated her as the ninth highest-paid female athlete in 2013 with total earnings of $7 million -- largely thanks to lucrative sponsorship deals. 
Ivanovic has had a string of high-profile boyfriends to help distract her, including Masters-winning golfer Adam Scott (left) and Spanish tennis player Fernando Verdasco. Ivanovic became a UNICEF National Ambassador for Serbia in September 2007. She has also appeared on the cover of magazines around the world such as FHM, Grazia, Vanity Fair and Cosmopolitan. 
Ivanovic kicked off 2014 in style by winning the WTA even in Auckland, New Zealand, beating fellow former world No. 1 Venus Williams in the final to claim the 12th title of her career. 
Ivanovic will take her bid for a second grand slam title to the Australian Open, where she was runner-up in 2008 and lost in the fourth round the last two years. The rise and fall and rise of Ana Ivanovic "The players who beat those players deserve all the credit because they've been better, so they are dangerous and they are competitive," said Belarus' Azarenka.
"For me it's important to just, you know, keep focusing on my game and play it one at a time. Quarterfinals of a grand slam is never easy, no matter who you play."
While the women's draw is turning out unexpected results, the men's half is proving altogether more predictable.
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal registered a straight-sets win over Japan's Kei Nishikori which was far more difficult than the scoreline would suggest.
The 13-time grand slam champion had his serve broken four times and he was made to sweat by 16th seed Nishikori before wrapping up a 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 7-6 (7-3) win.
Nadal will continue his bid for a second career win at the season-opening grand slam against Bulgarian No. 22 Gregor Dimitrov.
Three-time finalist Andy Murray didn't have it all his own way during his round of 16 victory over Frenchman Stephane Robert.
The world No. 4 looked unflappable as he raced into a 6-1 6-2 lead, but Robert, ranked 119th, rallied to take a third set tie break.
Eventually Murray's class told and the Scot secured a 6-1 6-2 6-7 (6-8) 6-2 win, with 17-time grand slam winner Roger Federer or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga awaiting in the quarterfinals.
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