Serena Williams continued her title defence with a straight sets win against Margarita Gasparyan. Winning 6-2 6-1, in a score not to dissimilar to when they faced in Wimbledon in 2015. Not looking troubled throughout, the American rarely was troubled against the young Russian. The world number one will be happy with how her Australian Open has gone so far this year after playing some great tennis.
Maria Sharapova set up a quarter-final against Williams after beating Belinda Bencic in a tight affair 7-5 7-5. In a first set full of breaks for both players it was Sharapova who edged the first set. Both players serving improved their serves in the second set but when Bencic came to serving to stay in the match, Sharapova broke vitally to seal the match and move onto the quarter-finals.
Three-setters
Agnieszka Radwanska survived a tough match against Anna-Lena Friedsam to emerge victorious. Eventually winning 6-7(6) 6-1 7-5. In a close first set that went to a tie-break, Friedsam played some great tennis to edge the first set. Radwanska came fighting back in the second set to take the match to a final set. Breaking at 5-5 it was down to the Pole to serve out the match which she did successfully to continue her great form.
In the final match of the day, Carla Suarez-Navarro won an exciting encounter against Daria Gavrilova edging the tie 0-6 6-3 6-2. After losing the first set 6-0 quickly, the Spaniard fought back to take the second set 6-3. The final set started with Gavrilova breaking in the first game and appearing to take the initiative. However, much like after the first set, Suarez-Navarro again fought back and won the next six games to take the match and improve on her first round exit last year.