Roundup: Hewitt out, Azarenka into title contention at Australian Open

Victoria Azarenka danced her way into contention for a third Australian Open title after knocking out eighth seed Caroline Wozniacki in the second round on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Lleyton Hewitt departed his 19th Australian Open, after having one foot in the third round only two hours earlier.

Poised at three wins each in their six completed ties, the former world No. 1 Wozniacki and Azarenka had been expected to produce a high-class contest.

They did not disappoint.

The 2012 and 2013 champion painted the lines in the final game to record a 6-4 6-2 victory and celebrated with an impromptu boogie.

The Belarussian's early 3-0 lead was neutralised before the two fought for the upper hand in a marathon ninth game that proved decisive.

Having worked her way from two breaks down, Wozniacki's first chance to poke her head in front was scuppered as a unreturnable backhand volley from Azarenka took her to a 5-4 lead.

Despite being 0-30 in the next game, Wozniacki could go no further, overpowered in the next four points as Azarenka took the first set.

From there, the match was dominated by the woman who, before last year's foot injury, had recorded three successive years in the top-three.

Wozniacki did not play poorly but against an opponent whose best career results have been in this tournament, she often looked the lesser player.

Wozniacki sent an ominous warning to those left in the draw

"I feel like her level is high," said the Dane.

"She's taking the ball early. She mixes up the pace. I think she's at the level that she left [at]."

The world No.44 said she was most pleased with her net game, having won 21 points from 26 approaches.

"I think I took those chances and really went for it," said Azarenka, adding Wozniacki's high standard forces opponents to raise their level.

Azarenka, having dismissed the No. 8 seed, has now opened her draw. She will next meet Barbora Zahlavova Strycova before a possible line-up against last year's finalist, Dominika Cibulkova.

In the men's draw, Benjamin Becker was almost non-existent against fellow 33-year-old Lleyton Hewitt until an off-court door kicking helped Becker back to win 2-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

Becker said he came out a different person in the third set after clearing his head off-court during the set break.

"The linesperson saw me. I kicked the door, screamed, let some steam out," said Becker.

"I needed that."

He turned that aggression into a match-changing move, dominating play to take the match away from the Australian.

Having grabbed an early break in the final set, the world No. 41 was free to take free swings in Hewitt's following service games.

It paid off, eventually.

At 4-2, Becker twice hit the line on break points.

Twice they were called out.

Twice Becker's challenges proved him right and the points replayed.

Two backhand errors from Hewitt gave Becker the double break and the German served out the match.

For Becker, his first foray into a Grand Slam third round since 2006 came after his first ever five-set victory.

For Hewitt, not even he knows whether he will make an 20th appearance at his home Grand Slam.

"I haven't been kidding anyone. I really don't know," said Hewitt in his post-match press conference.

"I'll sit back and assess everything after this tournament."

Becker's next opponent, Canadian Milos Raonic extended his streak over American players to 12 as he ended Donald Young's tournament with a 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 win.

Young only once took Raonic's serve to deuce, while Raonic was allowed to hold seven games to love.

Gael Monfils, seemingly paid by the minute at this year's tournament, played his second five-set match in a row, but bowed out against Jerzy Janowicz 6-4, 1-6, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 6-3.

At times, Monfils dominated and even toyed with his opponent, only to be entirely vulnerable the next game.

The Polish No. 1 took notice of the opening and shortened the points to turn the match in his favor.

In the final match of the night, Samantha Stosur maintained her poor record at her home Grand Slam, defeated 6-4, 6-4 by Coco Vandeweghe to set up an all-American battle against Madison Brengle. Endit