Azarenka on a roll

Victoria Azarenka is on a roll at the Australian Open. On Saturday, she crushed Japanese qualifier Naomi Osaka 6-1, 6-1 to reach the fourth round and justified the punters’ prediction that she is the second favourite to win the Australian Open this year behind Serena Williams.

She is fit and healthy and she seems to be carrying on from Brisbane where she won a title after she suffered an injury two years ago. Spanish third seed Garbine Muguruza became the latest seed to make an early exit as she lost to Czech Barbora Strycova. Muguruza, last year’s Wimbledon runner-up, dropped serve four times as she lost 6-3 6-2 to the world number 48. 

Germany’s Angelique Kerber is the only top-10 seed, at number seven, left in the bottom half of the women’s draw. Fourth seed Stan Wawrinka breezed into the men’s fourth round with a 6-2 6-3 7-6(3) victory over Lukas Rosol. The victory was the 2014 Australian Open champion’s 400th on the ATP Tour and came a day after fellow Swiss Roger Federer recorded his 300th win at grand slams and Maria Sharapova her 600th WTA Tour-level win.

The 30-yearold Wawrinka had spent just over 3 1/2 hours on court in his first two matches at Melbourne Park. 

He is likely to be tested in the fourth round when he meets Canada’s 13th-seed Milos Raonic, who beat Serbia’s Victor Troicki 6-2 6-3 6-4.