HIGHLIGHTS-Tennis-Day eight at the Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Jan 23 ( Reuters) - Latest news from day eight of the Australian Open tennis championships on Monday (all times GMT):

0016 SERENA BEGINS FOURTH ROUND CLASH WITH STRYCOVA

World number two Serena Williams has begun her match against 16th seed Barbora Strycova well aware the draw has opened up for her to clinch a 23rd grand slam title with Angelique Kerber being knocked out on Sunday. Temperatures have already hit 32C in Melbourne, with an expected high of 35C.

ORDER OF PLAY

ROD LAVER ARENA

16-Barbora Strycova ( Czech Republic) v 2-Serena Williams (U.S.)

8-Dominic Thiem ( Austria) v 11-David Goffin ( Belgium)

Not before 0800:

5-Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic) v 22-Daria Gavrilova ( Australia)

6-Gael Monfils ( France) v 9-Rafael Nadal ( Spain)

MARGARET COURT ARENA (Not before 0200)

30-Ekaterina Makarova ( Russia) v 9-Johanna Konta ( Britain)

Not before 0330

Jennifer Brady (U.S.) v Mirjana Lucic-Baroni ( Croatia)

Not before 0600

15-Grigor Dimitrov ( Bulgaria) v Denis Istomin ( Uzbekistan)

HISENSE ARENA

13-Roberto Bautista Agut (Spain) v 3-Milos Raonic ( Canada)

READ MORE

Melbourne Park carnage as top seeds topple

Kerber's rocky title defence finally collapses

Champion Kerber overpowered by Vandeweghe in Melbourne

Federer shows iron-man quality to reach quarters

Zverev emerges from the depths to take out Murray

I'll be back, says thwarted Murray

World number one Murray downed by Zverev in Melbourne

Venus talks down possible Serena final showdown

United States' Bryan brothers retire from Davis Cup

Oh brother! Siblings make for good companions at Australian Open

(Compiled by Greg Stutchbury; Editing by Peter Rutherford)