Australian Open: Routine win for Azarenka

Victoria Azarenka progressed into the quarter finals of the Australian Open after a comfortable 6-1 6-1 victory over Elena Vesnina today.

The defending champion had a shaky start to her match as she dropped her opening service game on the first set but the Bulgarian was in a monstrous form and she took the next six games in a row.

Azarenka dictated the match against the world number 47 and the second set seemed as the exact replica of the first with former world number 1 not giving an inch to her Russian opponent. Azarenka was happy with her game afterwards and stated that “it’s exciting to be this far in the tournament.”

Another Russian, Svetlana Kuznetsova, awaits Azarenka in the quarters after her 6-2 2-6 7-5 emphatic win over Caroline Wozniacki.

Elsewhere, world number 2 Maria Sharapova only required just over an hour to brush off Kristen Flipkens of Belgium. Sharapova extended her head-to-head record against Flipkens to 3-0 with a 6-1 6-0 win.

This is Sharapova’s 18^th career grand slam quarter-final and the winner of the Australian Open in 2008 is looking forward to her next match, which will be against fellow Russian Makarova, who took out Angelique Kerber (7-5 6-4).

Umida Ibrahimova, sports correspondent