MELBOURNE, Australia – The latest from the Australian Open on Monday (all times local):
2:30 p.m.
Two-time champion Victoria Azarenka is into the quarterfinals for the fourth time in five years after a 6-2, 6-4 win over Barbaro Strycova, the third year in a row the pair have met at Melbourne Park. Azarenka improved her career record against her Czech opponent to 5-0, including a third-round win here last year and a second-round victory in 2014, both in straight sets. Azarenka won her Australian titles in 2012 and 2013.
The 14th-seeded Azarenka will take on No. 7 Angelique Kerber in the quarterfinals. Kerber beat fellow German Annika Beck in straight sets in the preceding match on Rod Laver Arena.
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12:45 p.m.
Angelique Kerber has beaten fellow German Annika Beck 6-4, 6-0 to advance to the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park.
Kerber is into the final eight for the first time in nine attempts at the Australian Open and it follows a first-round loss here last year.
The No. 7-seeded Kerber saved a match point in her first-round win over Japan's Misaki Doi, and she thought that was a good omen. Li Na saved a match point in her third-round match at the 2014 Australian Open on the way to the title.
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11:20 a.m.
Play is under way in bright sunshine on the eighth day at Melbourne Park which features the final group of fourth-round matches that will determine singles quarterfinalists.
In an all-German match, No. 7-seeded Angelique Kerber is playing Annika Beck in the first match on the main Rod Laver Arena. Two-time champion Victoria Azarenka takes on Barbora Strycova in the following match, with French Open champion Stan Wawrinka set to play Canadian Milos Raonic in the final match of the afternoon.
No. 2-seeded Andy Murray, a four-time finalist at Melbourne Park, plays local hope Bernard Tomic in the opening night match, followed by American Madison Key's match against Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai.
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