Johanna Konta advanced to an Australian Open quarter-final showdown with Serena Williams after the ninth seed dismantled Ekaterina Makarova 6-1 6-4 in their fourth-round clash.
The 25-year-old Konta, Britain's last hope in the singles after Andy Murray and Dan Evans were bundled out on Sunday, took 69 minutes to send the Russian packing in temperatures approaching 35C.
Makarova was no match for Konta's serve or ground game in the first set as she changed angles and depth of returns that prevented the left-hander from getting any rhythm.
Makarova, who beat sixth seed Dominika Cibulkova in the third round, raced to a 4-1 lead in the second set but Konta rallied to win the next five games and sealed victory on her second match point when the Russian's forehand sailed over the baseline.
Karolina Pliskova reached the Australian Open quarter-finals for the first time and is keen to prove right those tipping her for grand slam success.
The 24-year-old Czech was a surprise package when she stormed to the US Open final in September but arrived at Melbourne Park ranked fifth in the world after winning a warm-up tournament in Brisbane.
Only one of the players seeded above her, six-times champion Serena Williams, survived into the second week after the early exits of world number one Angelique Kerber, Agnieszka Radwanska and Simona Halep.
On Monday, Pliskova ended Australian interest in the singles draws with a 6-3 6-3 victory over Daria Gavrilova on Rod Laver Arena to set up a last-eight meeting with world number 79 Mirjana Lucic-Baroni.
"It was not my best but it's a win, so it counts," she said. "But for sure we all know I can play better. But it was enough. It was strange match, I would say, even from Dasha. I think she didn't also play really well today.
"Even I didn't feel my game that well, I still think it was sort of solid somehow."
