Azarenka was almost untouchable, hitting 23 winners and only allowing Osaka to hit 4 in the first set and none in the second to close out the match in 56 minutes.
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Victoria Azarenka surged into an Australian Open quarter-final against Angelique Kerber on Monday, with the odds heavily stacked in the two-time champion’s favour as she guns for a third Grand Slam title.
When play resumed Ivanovic took a 6-4, 4-2 lead before Keys won the next four games and the second set. However, she might find she doesn’t have much time on the ball as Azarenka excels at rushing her opponents right from the return, particularly on her favourite hardcourt surface.
“I stayed focused and stayed through”, said Azarenka, who now goes on to play Barbora Strycova in the fourth round.
It was only a temporary reprieve as Azarenka went on the attack with some piercing groundstrokes, giving her the first break of the match to pull 3-2 clear.
Strycova, who has previously made the fourth round of a Grand Slam just once in her 13-year career on tour, said she had mentally prepared ahead of facing the third seed.
Despite his lingering sickness, the Swiss said he was in good form heading into the second week of the tournament.
Ivanovic was leading Madison Keys 6-4, 1-0 when her match was stopped.
Azarenka is one of three Australian Open champions remaining in the draw alongside six-time victor Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, who are in the other half and could meet in the quarter-finals. She plays 10th-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro in a night match on Rod Laver Arena.
Azarenka will next play No. 48-ranked Barbora Strycova, who upset 2015 Wimbledon finalist Muguruza 6-3, 6-2.
But Kerber hopes her time has come against Azarenka after a 6-4 6-0 win over countrywoman Annika Beck saw her reach the quarter-finals in Melbourne for the first time. “But, you know, just a cycle of life, I guess”. His match against Stephane Robert produced some of the most entertaining tennis of the tournament so far, full of trick shots and phenomenal points.
Johanna Konta has become the first British woman to reach the fourth round at the Australian Open in 29 years.
Milos Raonic dedicated his third-round victory, a 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 win over Viktor Troicki on Margaret Court Arena, to victims of a shooting in a remote community in Saskatchewan, Canada which left four people dead and at least two injured.
“I’m pretty happy with the way I’m playing”.
And on whether she seriously thought she could actually take the trophy, Zhang replied: “Before, no. But today, maybe yes”.
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Another Spaniard, eighth-seeded David Ferrer topped 31st-seeded American Steve Johnson, while 23rd-seeded Frenchman Gael Monfils cruised into the fourth round with a win over countryman Stephane Robert. No. 10-seeded John Isner, who fired 44 aces as he advanced with a 6-7 (8), 7-6 (5), 6-2, 6-4 win over Feliciano Lopez.
