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The world's top five female players have all advanced to the quarter-finals of the Melbourne Summer Series as they prepare for the Australian Open.
Australian Open favourite Naomi Osaka has led a swag of heavyweights into the quarter-finals at the Melbourne Summer Series.
The world's top five female players all advanced on Wednesday at Melbourne Park - but some were made to work harder than others.
World No.3 Osaka, Australia's top-ranked Ash Barty, No.4 Sofia Kenin and fifth-ranked Elina Svitolina survived three-set tussles.
In contrast, Romanian world No.2 Simona Halep booked her top eight berth with a comfortable 6-2 6-4 win over German Laura Siegmund.
But Osaka was happy to be pushed by unheralded Brit Katie Boulter.
Osaka, who won the Melbourne Park major in 2019, rallied for a 3-6 6-3 6-1 victory against Boulter, who is ranked 371st but playing on a protected ranking due to a run of injuries.
After only conceding four games in her opening match against Alize Cornet, Osaka said being forced to scramble from a set down was ideal.
"I couldn't have asked for a better preparation match,"the 23-year-old Japan superstar said.
I think it was very different from my first-round match and that's something I couldn't practise.
"I can't practise a match like this so I'm very happy with how it went actually.
"Even though it was long, I think there are a lot of things that I learned."
Reigning champion Kenin clawed her way to a 5-7 7-5 6-2 win over fellow American Jessica Pegula while British No.1 Johanna Konta was ousted after a marathon battle against Irina-Camelia Begu 4-6 7-6 (10-8) 7-6 (6-4).
Osaka and the Romanian square off in the final eight of the Gippsland Trophy.
While Barty tasted success with a 6-0 4-6 6-3 slog against Czech Marie Bouzkova, another Australian Ellen Perez retired with a back injury during the first set of her clash with American Ann Li.
Perez only got out of hard quarantine at midnight last night and was playing in the Grampions Trophy - reserved for female players who had been in total lockdown.
In later Yarra Valley Classic matches, Danielle Collins upset world No.6 Karolina Pliskova in a tight 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-3) clash.
The American will now play Serena Williams, who beat Tsvetana Pironkova 6-1 6-4.
Two-time grand slam winner Petra Kvitova was a surprise loser to Argentina's Nadia Podoroska 5-7 6-1 7-6 (9-7).
Marketa Vondrousova and Garbine Muguruza were among the other winners.
