MELBOURNE, Australia - Defending champion Victoria Azarenka raced through her second-round match at the Australian Open, beating Eleni Daniilidou of Greece 6-1, 6-0 in 55 minutes on Thursday.

With her friend, American rapper Redfoo, watching in the stands and signing autographs, top-ranked Azarenka stayed on track for a semifinal meeting with Serena Williams, who was scheduled to play the next match on Rod Laver Arena.

Azarenka needs to win the women's final on Jan. 26 to retain the No. 1 ranking she has held for much of the last year. She first claimed the top ranking after winning last year's title here.

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