Australian Open: Ash Barty thrashes Italian opponent Camila Giorgi

Ash Barty has continued her red-hot start to the summer, thumping seeded opponent Camila Giorgi to cruise into the Australian Open fourth round.

After blitzing a pair of qualifiers in the early rounds, world No.1 Barty made light work of Giorgi in a 6-2 6-3 victory on Friday night.

The result extended Barty’s unbeaten run in 2022 to seven matches as she eyes a third career grand slam title and first on home soil.

The local favourite will meet either two-time champion Naomi Osaka or American Amanda Anisimova in the round of 32.

Free-hitting No.30 seed Giorgi was never likely to be the cannon fodder that vanquished qualifiers Lesia Tsurenko and Lucia Bronzetti proved for the top-ranked Australian.

But by the same token, Giorgi didn’t seriously challenge Barty, who is now unbeaten in four career meetings with the Italian.

Barty again banked on her biggest weapon – her accurate serve – and is yet to be broken in 23 service games through the opening three rounds of her home slam this year.

She has won 57 consecutive service games stretching back to her first match of the year at the Adelaide International and is winning 84 per cent of points after landing her first delivery.

The 25-year-old held her nerve to save all four break points against Giorgi, keeping her perfect tournament record intact.