Tournament favourite Victoria Azarenka continues her Australian Open campaign with a fourth-round match against Barbora Strycova. Join The Roar for live scores from around 1pm (AEDT).
Azarenka has been installed as the second tournament favourite following a strong start to 2016.
The Belarusian began the new year at Brisbane, her first tennis on the WTA Tour since exiting Wuhan in September of 2015.
She defeated Elena Vesnina and Ysaline Bonaventure in the opening rounds on her way to a quarter-final meeting with world No.15 and 2015 US Open runner-up Roberta Vinci.
Azarenka accounted for Vinci in straight sets 6-1, 6-2 and then also went on to defeat American qualifier Samantha Crawford 6-0, 6-3.
She was drawn against world No.6 Angelique Kerber in the final, whom she shocked in straight sets.
The two-time Australian Open champion arrived at Melbourne Park and beat Alison Van Uytvanck 6-0, 6-0 in the first round, before defeating Danka Kovinic 6-1, 6-2.
The 14th seed then faced Japanese young gun Naomi Osaka in the third round, who she got past 6-1, 6-1.
Azarenka has won nine of her last ten matches, and Strycova is set to struggle against the seed.
Strycova has won just six of her last ten, having made early exits at both the Hobart International and Auckland Open during her lead-in to the first grand slam for 2016.
The world No.48 however has had a stunning start to the Australian Open, having defeated two seeds in the opening three rounds.
The Czech began her tournament with a win over world No.34 Caroline Garcia in straight sets, who had shown in the earlier Hopman Cup just how good she could play, having defeated Heather Watson, Sabine Lisicki and Australian Daria Gavrilova at the mixed doubles tournament.
Strycova then faced Vania King, prevailing over the world No.349 American 7-6, 6-4, before taking on world No.3 Garbine Muguruza, whom she stunned 6-3, 6-2 – an outstanding achievement.
Azarenka should expect the unexpected, as the pair have never played each other before on the WTA Tour. Seventh seed Angelique Kerber or German Annika Beck will take on the winner of the match in the quarter-finals.
Prediction
Victoria Azarenka will be too strong and continue her hunt for a third grand slam win at Melbourne Park.
Azarenka in straight sets.
Join The Roar for live scores from around 1pm (AEDT), following the completion of the all-German match between seventh seed Kerber and Beck, and comment below if you’re watching the match.
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