Now things would begin to be serious at the 2022 AO, with seeds clashing in third round matches.
Two time winner Azarenka against twice quarter finalist Svitolina (2018, 2019) promised to be one of the best, and so first up on Rod Laver Arena on Day Five was appropriate time and place for its manufacture and distribution.
Azarenka won all four previous battles with Svitolina. Two were in 2015, but the one most recently was March last year - quarters in Doha.
To reach the third round this year, Vika dismissed Panna Udvardy and Jil Teichmann, surrendering a total of just seven games en route.
Elina found it a touch harder, taken to a second set tie break in knocking out Fiona Ferro, and dropping a set against Harmony Tan.
Svitolina served first, and in a scrappy opening game, neither player earned any plaudits.
Svitolina double faulted on the third break point faced.
Azarenka double faulted in game two, but it didn’t matter, as she’d already hit three winners. 2-0.
Two winners were insufficient for Svitolina to cover up her inconsistencies, and Azarenka converted a break point in game three with a forehand down the line winner.
A love game from Belarus, and Svitolina had yet to introduce herself to the contest.
Azarenka continued to plunder, and from 30-30 in game five, Svitolina double faulted. Azarenka then hit a forehand winner, extending her lead to 5-0.
After serving out the set 6-0, three Azarenka backhand winners helped her to break Svitolina in the opening game of set two.
Some aces were introduced to the Azarenka pleasure, and she consolidated for 2-0.
From nowhere Svitolina found a love game, and she finally put a score on the board.
In the next game, the fifteenth seed concocted a break point, but saw it disappear with an unforced error.
Azarenka held on and led 3-1.
Svitolina, serving at 2-4, was broken to love, the game ending with an Azarenka backhand lob winner.
In a long long game serving for the match, Azarenka saved two break points, and Svitolina saved five match points.
The sixth match point was the one that did it and Victoria Azarenka won through to the round of sixteen 6-0 6-2.
The promise of a good match was broken, although Svitolina did compete for some of set two.
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