US Open finalist Madison Keys has sent a message that her 2017 breakthrough form was no fluke, running roughshod over Romanian Ana Bogdan at the Australian Open.
While home hope Ashleigh Barty and superstar Maria Sharapova crashed out and world No.1 Simona Halep endured the fright of her life to scrape through to the fourth round on Saturday, Keys cruised against the 102-ranked Bogdan.
Returning to Melbourne Park after wrist surgery sidelined her from last year's Open, the 17th-seeded American stormed into the fourth round with a 6-3 6-4 victory.
Yet to drop a set through her first three matches, Keys' powerful serve and groundstrokes wore down the inexperienced Bogdan - playing in her maiden grand slam third round.
"But she was also getting to a lot of balls and definitely made me play my best tennis," said Keys, who made a run to the 2015 Open semi-finals as a teenager.
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Back in the locker room after just over an hour on court, Keys booked a fourth-round date with eighth seed Caroline Garcia.
The 24-year-old Frenchwoman was pushed all the way by Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich, but ground out a 6-3 5-7 6-2 victory after two hours and five minutes on Hisense Arena.
Garcia - twice a title winner last year on tour - has spent exactly double the amount of time on court as Keys through the first week.
"I know its going to be big hitting from both sides," Garcia said ahead of her maiden fourth-round clash at Melbourne Park.
"I haven't played very well last match, so I really want to improve against her."
Sixth seed Karolina Pliscova, another hoping to break through for her first major in Melbourne, inched past compatriot Lucie Safarova in a tight 7-6 (8-6) 7-5 tussle.
The first break of the all-Czech encounter came in the penultimate game of the second set, before Pliskova killed off the 29th-seeded 30-year-old veteran.
"I know the record is pretty good," the 25-year-old said after taking her head-to-head record to 6-2 against her Fed Cup teammate.
"But, like I say, we always play pretty close."
Pliskova will confront Barbora Strycova, another countrywoman, in the fourth round after the 20th seed toppled American qualifier Bernarda Pera 6-2 6-2.
Halep had to save three match points before advancing over world No.76 Lauren Davis 4-6 6-4 15-13 in a marathon match that spanned three hours and 44 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.
The Romanian top seed will play destructive Japanese 20-year-old Naomi Osaka, who knocked out 17th-seeded Barty in a 6-4 6-2 boilover.
Red-hot German Angelique Kerber trounced Sharapova 6-1 6-3 in the heavyweight clash between the former Open champions and world No.1s to extend her stunning summer winning streak to 13 matches.
Kerber will play Su-wei Hsieh after the giant-killing Taiwanese upset former world No.2 Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2 7-5.
