Improved Kerber reaches last 16

Angelique Kerber dropped just four games on her way to a place in the last 16 of the Australian Open.

The defending champion was taken to three sets in her opening two matches at Melbourne Park, but she put in a much-improved performance to beat Czech Kristyna Pliskova 6-0 6-4.

It took just 17 minutes for Kerber to move within one game of the opening set and she wrapped it up when her opponent smashed a forehand into the net.

Kerber broke early in the second but Pliskova battled back to win three straight games to give her a glimmer of hope.

It was not to last, however, as Kerber broke in the ninth game and she closed it out in under an hour.

“I tried to stay very focused because you never know what could happen,” Kerber said. “It's great to have another good match on my belt and being in the fourth round again here.”

American CoCo Vandeweghe is next up for Kerber after her 6-4 3-6 7-5 win over Eugenie Bouchard.

“CoCo is a tough opponent. She played good today," Kerber added. “I know that she's serving good, as well. I have to move good, being ready, bring a lot of balls back, but also being aggressive, as well.”

There was little to separate Vandeweghe and Bouchard during the first six games of their match until Bouchard double-faulted to gift her opponent the first break.

Vandeweghe consolidated her advantage to take the set and continue to put pressure on Bouchard's serve at the start of the second, only for the Canadian to hold.

It was Bouchard's turn to test her opponent's serve in the next game and a Vandeweghe double-fault handed the former world number five her first break to all but give her the set.

Both players made errors in the third set but with Bouchard the first to take advantage in the opening game, but Vandeweghe broke back to level the set at 4-4. Having saved four break points the American managed to hold before breaking Bouchard in the 12th game to book her place in the fourth round.

Eighth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated Serbia's Jelena Jankovic 6-4 5-7 9-7 in a thrilling encounter, while Venus Williams dropped just one game as she overcame China's Duan Yingying 6-0 6-1.

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