Angelique Kerber smashes Maria Sharapova to make fourth round

Kerber, who had a shocking 2017, looked at her best for some time as she polished off Sharapova in 64 minutes.

The 21st seed obliterated Sharapova in the first set, and while the Russian looked like offering some resistance in the second, she faded right at the end.

Kerber, who won at Melbourne Park in 2016, won 86% of points on her first serve while Sharapova could only manage 37%.

"Of course this was quite a big match," Kerber, who began working with new coach Wim Fissette at the end of last year, told reporters. "Maria is a champion. She's always dangerous, especially at the grand slams.

"But I was really trying to not think about everything around and everything about the match, about against who I was playing. I was just more trying to go out on the special court for me and play good tennis."

As much as this was a resounding declaration of Kerber's return to top form, it also showed just how much progress Sharapova has to make as she orchestrates her own return.

Sharapova, back in Melbourne after testing positive for a banned substance here in 2016 resulting in a 15-month ban, had looked menacing in the opening two rounds.

But Kerber, who plummeted down the rankings last year after finishing the year before at number one, broke her serve in the first game of the match and that set the tone for what followed.

She streaked away with the first set and although 2008 champion Sharapova briefly threatened a fightback after falling behind in the second, it was not to be the Russian's night.

A fluffed drop shot attempt at 3-4 followed by an unforced error gave 2016 champion Kerber breathing space and she finished the contest in the next game.

Sharapova, playing only her second grand slam since returning from her doping suspension, took it on the chin.

"I don't want to take anything away from her and the way she played. I think she played extremely well," said the Russian. "She was the more aggressive player. She took a lot more risks than I did. I didn't return well. I gave her the confidence by making a lot of errors on the return games."