Second seeded German Angelique Kerber easily won the battle of left-handers against big-hitting Brazilian qualifier Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-2 6-3 to stroll into the third round of the Australian Open.
The Wimbledon champion broke the 22-year-old Haddad Maia twice in the opening set and converted her first set point when the Brazilian sent a forehand wide for her 29th unforced error in the set.
Kerber, a triple Grand Slam champion who won in Melbourne in 2016, faced just one breakpoint in the match in the second set and converted her first opportunity in the eighth game to go 5-3 up and serve for the set.
In the third round the former world number one will meet Australian wildcard Kimberly Birrell, who earlier ousted 29th seeded Donna Vekic 6-4 4-6 6-1.
Defending champion Caroline Wozniacki set up a potential third-round showdown with Maria Sharapova after easing past Johanna Larsson 6-1 6-3 in a one-sided clash.
Third seeded Wozniacki took just over an hour to secure her second consecutive straight-sets win for a possible match-up between two former world number one players against Sharapova who plays Rebecca Peterson in the second round.
Wozniacki made just 12 unforced errors in her second round match against a player who constantly switched up her tactics in an ultimately unsuccessful bid to break down the brick wall defence of her higher-ranked opponent.
Wozniacki wobbled early in the second set, after being unable to convert a series of break points in the opening game, before settling back into her rhythm and running away with the match.
"I thought it was a fine match," Wozniacki, who is battling rheumatoid arthritis, told reporters. "I think she stepped it up a little bit in the second set. I think I served well."
Wozniacki has been in the top echelon of women's tennis for a decade but won her first Grand Slam singles title at the start of 2018.
Australia's top-ranked player Ashleigh Barty beat Wang Yafan 6-2 6-3 in a straight-forward affair, propelling the home country's leading prospect into the third round.
The 15th-seeded Barty is the highest ranked local player - either man or woman - in the tournament and is known for her court craft and is an accomplished doubles player, while she has also played elite-level cricket.
"I felt like today was pretty clean, except for a couple of games where I got passive," Barty told reporters.
The 22-year-old will play Greece's Maria Sakkari in the third round.
