Muguruza powers past Bertens into last eight

MELBOURNE (Reuters): Garbine Muguruza powered into the Australian Open quarter-finals with a 6-3 6-3 demolition of ninth-seed Kiki Bertens in just 68 minutes on Monday.

Spain's Garbine Muguruza in action during her match against Netherlands’ Kiki Bertens - Reuters

Muguruza, a former French Open and Wimbledon champion, was unseeded at Melbourne Park and has proved a dangerous floater in the draw, having also thrashed fifth seed Elina Svitolina 6-1 6-2 in the previous round.

The 26-year-old Spaniard, who was rusty before the tournament after withdrawing from Hobart with a virus and then lost the first set of her first round clash with Shelby Rogers 6-0, was almost unstoppable on Monday. She broke Bertens five times throughout the match, including in the final game, and clinched a quarter-final with either Angelique Kerber or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova when she blasted a forehand winner down the line.