Azarenka, in form, and into Australian Open quarterfinals

“She’s such a tough opponent”, Azarenka said of Strycova.

Strycova stretched the two-time Australian Open champion over two sets, hitting 23 winners to Azarenka’s 15, but was undone by 33 unforced errors and an inability to convert either of the two break points she engineered.

She went into the Strycova clash with a clear advantage, whipping her on all four of their previous meetings, including at the last two Australian Opens – 6-1, 6-4 in 2014 and 6-4, 6-4 a year later.

Aussie-born Brit Johanna Konta is also through after a three-set thriller against Ekaterina Makarova.

Novak Djokovic was looking everywhere for answers, even in the crowd.

Djokovic lost in the quarterfinals to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2010, then won the tournament in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

“I had tough matches against her in the past”, Kerber said of Azarenka.

The talented but unproven 21-year-old Beck was in the second week of a major for the first time in 14 career appearances, and experience was clearly a factor in the second set.

He will play No. 13 Milos Raonic, who beat No. 4 seed Stan Wawrinka in five sets 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-3.

If the message was being written as she blasted her way through the first three rounds at Melbourne Park, it was emphatically delivered when the Belarusian claimed a 6-2 6-4 win over Barbora Strycova to move into the quarterfinals.

Gael Monfils had a 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4) win over Andrei Kuznetsov to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in 11 trips to the Australian Open.

World number one Serena Williams and fifth seeded arch-rival Maria Sharapova play each other in a headline last eight clash on Tuesday, while fourth seed Agnieszka Radwansa faces 10th seed Carla Suarez.

Victoria Azarenka will be too strong and continue her hunt for a third grand slam win at Melbourne Park.

Azarenka is coming off two injury-interrupted seasons, but is returning to the kind of form that took her to the No. 1-ranked and back-to-back Australian Open titles in 2012 and ’13.

Azarenka will next face No. 7 seed Angelique Kerber who she defeated in the Brisbane final a few weeks ago.

Monfils said of his flying dive onto the hardcourt: “It hurts, but it’s something that snaps in my mind and I just go for it”. Kerber saved a match point against Misaki Doi in first round.

Play is under way in bright sunshine on the eighth day at Melbourne Park which features the final group of fourth-round matches that will determine singles quarterfinalists.

MELBOURNE, Australia Victoria Azarenka couldn’t get off court quickly enough to check the score after reaching the Australian Open quarterfinals.