Two-time champion Victoria Azarenka has continued her impressive run into the quarter-finals of the Australian Open with a 6-2 6-4 victory over Czech Barbora Strycova.

The No.14 seed from Belarus has dropped just 11 games in her first four matches and shapes as the biggest title threat to world No.1 Serena Williams.

The Australian Open has traditionally been a happy hunting ground for Azarenka, whose only two major titles to date came at Melbourne Park in 2012 and 2013.

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Strycova had her moments in Monday’s match without ever really threatening to emulate her shock third-round victory over No.3 seed Garbine Muguruza from Spain.

Angelique Kerber is into the Australian Open quarters for the first time. Photo: AAP

Strycova has now been beaten by Azarenka at Melbourne Park in each of the past three Opens.

“She’s such a tough opponent and I’m just so happy I went though,” said Azarenka.

“I played smart, I played aggressive.”

Azarenka’s quarter-final opponent will be No.7 seed Angelique Kerber, who advanced to the Australian Open quarter-finals for the first time with a 6-4 6-0 victory over fellow German Annika Beck.

After being down match point in her first-round encounter against Japan’s Misaki Doi, Kerber has built steadily through the tournament.

In nine previous visits to Melbourne Park, Kerber’s best efforts were reaching the fourth round in 2013 and 2014.

Aussie-born Brit Johanna Konta is also through after a three-set thriller against Ekaterina Makarova.

Th 24-year-old, who moved to the UK when she was a teenager, becomes the first British woman through to the final eight in Melbourne since Jo Durie in 1983.

World No. 47 Konta lost the first set to the 21st-seeded Russian but held her nerve to serve out the match 4-6 6-4 8-6, with the encounter stretching over three hours.

Rising 100 ranking spots since 2014 and making her first appearance in the main draw after falling in qualifying the past three years, she will face either American Madison Keys or Chinese giant-killer Zhang Shuau.

-AAP