With play beginning in the second week at Melbourne, the stakes become higher and matches carry with them a different level of intensity as players can nearly see the finish line ahead.

Cibulkova returns to Melbourne quarterfinals

First up on Rod Laver Arena on Monday was two-time champion Victoria Azarenka against Dominika Cibulkova, who made a run to the final last year in Melbourne. The Belarusian entered the tournament unseeded but clearly dangerous.

Azarenka was the aggressor early, and it paid off with a service break, giving her the edge in the first set. But that edge did not last long as Cibulkova seized momentum quickly, battering Azarenka from the baseline and rattling off the next six games to take the set. The Slovakian was dialed in, and Azarenka had no answers in the first set.

In the second, it was Azarenka breaking service early once more. But this time she built upon it and though Cibulkova fought back, Azarenka took the second set as both women continued to exchange punches from the baseline. Despite the lopsided scores, both exhibited high-quality tennis with winners far outweighing unforced errors in the first two sets.

The trend continued in the third set, as Azarenka captured an early service break once more. If there was any doubt that both players were willing to fight for the set, it became clear quickly that there should not have been. But it was Cibulkova who exhibited the superior mental toughness and struck the majority of big shots, gaining an advantage that she refused to part with. She took the set and match 6-2 3-6 6-3, advancing deep into the Australian Open once again.

Serena overcomes adversity, advances to quarterfinals

Later, it was top-seeded Serena Williams facing Garbine Muguruza. Williams had lost to the young Spaniard in their last meeting, which came in the 2014 French Open. And once again, Williams received Muguruza’s best shot, but this time she prevailed 2-6 6-3 6-2.

Both players were stingy on their serve early, and each looked to size up her opponent. But it was Muguruza striking first, gaining an advantage on the strength of big groundstrokes placed deep in the court. And in what has been a trend of late, Williams appeared sluggish, dropping two service games and the set.

Williams attempted to pick up her intensity early in the second set. It was successful as she broke Muguruza’s serve. But the Spaniard found success attacking the veteran’s second serve and garnered positive results. As the set moved forward, the match became tightly contested as each competitor found big shots in their arsenal. Finally, the American appeared to find the means to protect her second serve and earned a late break of service of her own. She would serve out the set to even the match.

Early in the third set, Williams became increasingly frustrated with her service struggles. She was forced to strike with more pace, and what ensued was tremendous tennis by both. In a series of excellent points that included sharp volleys and tremendous court coverage, the world No. 1 was able to hold serve just as her prospects looked in doubt. Feeding off of her heightened level, Williams built momentum. Soon, the floodgates opened, and the top seed rolled through the remainder of the set, taking a match that was very much in question until midway through the final set. Williams will advance to face Cibulkova in the quarterfinals.