Defending champion Victoria Azarenka conceded just one game in a lopsided second-round romp at the Australian Open Thursday, while Serena Williams shook off an ankle injury to progress.
A pumped-up Azarenka, with her renowned grunting at full volume, said her game was exactly where she wanted it after crushing Greece’s Eleni Daniilidou 6-1, 6-0.
She was followed onto Rod Laver Arena on a scorching hot day by Williams, with all eyes on her condition after a nasty roll of the right ankle in her first-round match.
But the American third seed, looking for a sixth Australian title, was moving freely in a solid 6-2, 6-0 workout against Spanish teenager Garbine Muguruza.
“It’s feeling better,” she said of the heavily strapped ankle, which needed intensive treatment over the past two days.
“I did everything I could, from icing to massage, and woke up this morning and it was like ‘my God, it feels good.”
