Azarenka beats Svitolina to reach last 16

Two-time champion Victoria Azarenka brushed aside Elina Svitolina to reach the Australian Open fourth round for the first time since 2016.

The Belarusian world number 25, champion in Melbourne in 2012 and 2013, won 6-0 6-2 against the Ukrainian 15th seed.

Czech Krejcikova, seeded fourth, came from behind to beat Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko 2-6 6-4 6-4.

Australia's world number one Ashleigh Barty is in action against Italy's Camila Giorgi from 08:00 GMT on Friday.

Defending champion Naomi Osaka also features in the night session at Melbourne Park, taking on American Amanda Anisimova.

The 32-year-old, seeded 24th, made her intentions clear with a break of serve in the opening game and dominated from there, eventually converting her sixth match point.

After reaching at least the fourth round in Melbourne in eight consecutive years between 2009 and 2016, she only played the tournament twice between 2017 and 2021, losing in the first round in 2019 and last year.

The former world number one, who was joined by Leo in her post-match news conference, said: "When you look in the past, which I don't like to do, your memory is a bit distorted.