Australian Open: Simona Halep crushes Danka Kovinic to race into fourth round

Simona Halep reached the final of the Australian Open in 2018, where she lost to Caroline Wozniacki

Simona Halep continued her dominant streak at the Australian Open with a crushing win over Danka Kovinic to reach the fourth round.

The Romanian 14th seed has won all eight of her matches this year and has yet to drop a set at Melbourne Park.

She will face Alize Cornet next after the Frenchwoman beat Slovenian 29th seed Tamara Zidansek 4-6 6-4 6-2.

Halep has dropped just 12 games in her first three matches at this year's tournament.

"I always love to play in Australia so that's why maybe I play good matches," Halep, who won the Adelaide WTA event in the build-up to the tournament, said.

"It's super hot today. I did not look relaxed but I feel good and more confident now."

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Cornet, who stunned third seed Garbine Muguruza in the second round, battled past Zidanek in what she described as "brutal" heat.

"It was mostly about survival," Cornet said.

"The Australian heat is brutal and I can't believe I won."

American 27th seed Danielle Collins, a semi-finalist in 2019, saw off talented Danish teenager Clara Tauson 4-6 6-4 7-5.

She will play Elise Mertens after the Belgian beat China's Zhang Shuai 6-2 6-2.

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