A "super-focused" Serena Williams joined sister Venus in the fourth round of the Australian Open Saturday, ruthlessly snuffing out Nicole Gibbs's challenge as she accelerates towards a record 23rd Grand Slam title.
The second seed clinically dispatched her fellow American 6-1, 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena, further dispelling any lingering doubts about her early-season form.
It is the 14th time in her 17 Australian Opens she has made at least the fourth round, and sets her up with a clash against 16th-seeded Czech Barbora Strycova, who beat French 21st seed Caroline Garcia.
If she gets through that, Johanna Konta, Caroline Wozniacki or Ekaterina Makarova could be waiting for her in the quarter-finals.
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PLISKOVA SURVIVES BIG SCARE TO STAY ALIVE
Fifth seed Karolina Pliskova survived a huge scare on Saturday, scrambling into the Australian Open fourth round after battling from a set down in a marathon match.
The Czech, who had dropped only four games in her opening two matches, needed 2hrs 5mins to get past fast-rising Latvian teen Jelena Ostapenko 4-6, 6-0, 10-8 in a seesawing encounter.
Her perseverance set her up for a last-16 clash with local hope Daria Gavrilova, who ground her way past 12th-seeded Swiss Timea Bacsinszky in three sets.
Whoever gets through that match will play either Croatian veteran Mirjana Lucic-Baroni or American qualifier Jennifer Brady in the quarterfinal.
LUCIC-BARONI BEATS SAKKARI 3-6, 6-2, 6-3
Nineties doubles queen Mirjana Lucic-Baroni claimed another scalp to keep her fairytale run alive at the opening Grand Slam of the year.
The 34-year-old Croat, who stunned third seed Agnieszka Radwanska in round two, came from a set down to end the dreams of Greek Maria Sakkari 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.
She will now play American qualifier, Jennifer Brady who shocked 14th seed Elena Vesnina 7-6 (7/4), 6-2.
It has been a memorable tournament so far for Lucic-Baroni, who won the Australian Open doubles title way back in 1998.
MAKAROVA BEATS CIBULKOVA 6-2, 6-7, 6-3
Dominika Cibulkova became the latest top seed to crash out when she was upset by Russian dark horse Ekaterina Makarova in a marathon third-round match.
The Slovak sixth seed and WTA Finals champion joins third seed Agnieszka Radwanska and fourth-seeded Simona Halep as first-week casualties, blowing the draw wide open.
Makarova, 28, was never going to be a pushover.
Melbourne Park has been her most successful Grand Slam and her 6-2, 6-7 (3/7), 6-3 win in nearly three hours put her in the fourth round for a seventh consecutive time.
KONTA BEATS WOZNIACKI 6-3, 6-1
Rampant Johanna Konta blitzed former World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki to set up an intriguing fourth-round clash with Russia's Ekaterina Makarova.
The British ninth seed, who made the semi-finals last year to kickstart a breakthrough season, banished Wozniacki 6-3, 6-1 on Margaret Court Arena.
It sets up a showdown with Makarova, also a former Melbourne semi-finalist. If she comes through that test, the mighty Serena Williams is a potential quarter-final opponent.
OTHER MAIN RESULTS
USA's Jennifer Brady knocked out 14th seed Elena Vesnina with a 7-6, 6-2 win to set up a fourth round clash with Mirjana Lucic-Baroni.
Barbora Strycova will meet Serena Williams in the fourth round after her straight sets win over Caroline Garcia of France.
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