Temperatures in Melbourne top 43C for the third day in a row, the first time that has happened since records began

So the roof is closed for the women's doubles final as Venus and Serena Williams target their eighth Grand Slam title together

The little and large pairing of Daniela Hantuchova and Ai Sugiyama can do little to combat the power of the American pair

Serena and Venus run out 6-3 6-3 winners to add the Aussie Open title to their Olympic gold medals

Britain's Laura Robson continues her campaign in the girls' singles with a semi-final against top seed Noppawan Lertcheewakarn

Robson comes through 6-4 6-3 to set up a final against Russian third seed Ksenia Pervak on Saturday.

Spaniards Fernando Verdasco and Rafael Nadal line up ahead of the second men's singles semi-final

World number one Nadal has plenty of fans on Rod Laver Arena

It is Verdasco who has the edge in the early stages as he dominates with his heavy forehand

Nadal sees a set point slip by at 5-4 and the first set comes down to a tie-break

Verdasco recovers an early mini-break and, thanks in part to a net cord, takes the tie-break 7-4

Nadal finally makes the breakthrough on Verdasco's serve to take the second set 6-4

After a tight third set, Verdasco slips up with a couple of errors in the tie-break

Verdasco requires treatment on his left calf midway through the fourth set

But Verdasco recovers to force another tie-break and produces his best tennis to take it 7-1

Nadal endures a frustrating start to the fifth set as he fails to take any of five break-point chances

But when Verdasco double-faults on match point number three, the world number one can celebrate a place in his first Melbourne final