Novak Djokovic plays some of his best tennis to blow Australia's Alex De Minaur off the court in a one-sided rout on Rod Laver Arena.
Earlier Andrey Rublev saved multiple match points to advance past Holger Rune in a rollercoaster of a match.
And Australian duo Jason Kubler and Rinky Hijikata have once again come back from the brink to make the final eight in the men's doubles, with the pair on a path reminiscent of the one Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis trod last year.
Australian Open day eight — as it happened.
Key events
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Djokovic dominates De Minaur in statement win
By Paul Johnson
Novak Djokovic has destroyed Australia's Alex De Minaur in straight sets to keep his quest for a 10th Australian Open title alive.
The Serbian star was at his brilliant best for the full three sets as he gave the Australian no chance in a 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 drubbing on Rod Laver Arena.
The match took just two hours as Djokovic dominated the Australian, who simply could not match the Serb's power or skill.
It was total dominance from Djokovic, who didn't even face a break point throughout the match.
The nine-times champion was unapologetic about the thrashing he had just dished out.
"I cannot say I am sorry that you didn't see a longer match," Djokovic said.
"I thought the first four or five games were quite close.
"One break of serve and I started to feel more loose and free and I felt he was more nervous.
"I kept my focus all the way through and played the best match of this year so far."
Things started out well enough for De Minaur, who held his first service game to love.
It was as good as things would get.
Djokovic made inroads on the next De Minaur service game and, after that, broke him at will.
In fact, he broke him in six of the next nine service games.
Some had thought this match might test the heavily-strapped hamstring of Djokovic, such is De Minaur's ability to make his opponent hit plenty of shots, but that was not the case here.
Djokovic moved well and bullied De Minaur throughout the match as he racked up nearly triple the winners of the hometown favourite, and even shut out the Australian crowd.
They were silenced by the Serbian's brilliance, in fact the chants of "Nole, Nole Nole" were sometimes notable.
Djokovic said the hamstring — which he injured in Adelaide against Daniil Medvedev — felt fine on Monday night.
"Tonight it wasn't obvious I was dealing with an injury," Djokovic said.
"I didn't feel anything.
"I thank my medical team and my phsyio, anybody that really helped me."
Djokovic will now play fifth-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals.
Tommy Paul books all-American quarter final
By Paul Johnson
Unseeded American Tommy Paul has booked a showdown with countryman Ben Shelton in the men's quarterfinals.
Paul upsetting 24th-seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista-Agut 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5.
He will next face Shelton, who earlier beat JJ Wolf in a five-set encounter.
The result guarantees there will be an American in the final four at Melbourne Park.
Djokovic now up 3-0 in the third
By Paul Johnson
A new set hasn't done much for De Minaur.
He's pushing harder but Djokovic simply will not come off his high level here.
He's playing ridiculous tennis.
Dominant Djokovic takes the second
By Paul Johnson
This one is going south quick for De Minaur.
Everything he has tried has not worked and Djokovic is out there showing why he has a case to be considered the greatest to ever play the sport.
Clearly fired up as he hits the second week of the slam, he now leads the Australian 6-2, 6-1.
And as for the crowd they are a total non-factor.
In fact Djokovic's supporters are louder than De Minaur's and you can hear them very clearly chanting "Nole, Nole, Nole".
The rout continues
By Paul Johnson
Djokovic is just dominating De Minaur and has broken him again.
While De Minaur is well known for his fighting qualities and speed he just cannot hurt the Serbian star.
Djokovic has too many weapons and De Minaur too few.
Something has to change for the Aussie and it might be time to attack the net, purely out of desperation.
6-2, 3-0 to Djokovic.
Djokovic takes opening set
By Paul Johnson
That was fast.
Novak Djokovic has broken Alex De Minaur twice to take the opening set 6-2 in fast time.
It took just 35 minutes with the Serbian star pushing the Australian around the court and breaking him early for a 4-2 lead before doing so again to take the set.
The Australian is trying to red-line his game to keep up with the future Hall of Famer but thus far to no avail.
Djokovic breaks
By Paul Johnson
That didn't take long.
Djokovic has just bossed De Minaur around the court in that game, overpowering a passive De Minaur.
He now leads 5-2 after consolidating and that's not the start the Australian needed.
De Minaur made to fight
By Paul Johnson
A couple of tight games there but Djokovic got De Minaur to Deuce a couple of times on his serve.
Still the Australian remained steely to hold his nerve and serve.
3-2 Djokovic.
ADM and Djoker on serve early
By Paul Johnson
The lads are out on court to cheers from the crowd and the feeling out process has started.
In good news for De Minaur his first service game was solid but Djokovic's two have been as well.
Let's see how this plays out.
Rublev saves multiple match points in stunning win
By Paul Johnson
The only way to sum up this match is bizarre.
But Andrey Rublev has done it and advanced to the men's singles quarterfinals.
The Russian fifth seed coming back from two match points down to defeat ninth-seeded Danish teenager Holger Rune 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (11/9) on Rod Laver Arena.
Rune saved two of his own, including one with an insane backhand pass down the line from way behind the baseline.
Ultimately though a let cord off a service return gave Rublev victory in the cruellest manner possible.
The scenes are eerily similar to when Andy Murray defeated Matteo Berrettini back in round one.
Rublev said he never thought the ball was going over.
"When I hit it I saw how the ball hit the net and was on my side," Rublev said.
"I don't know how it went over."
The victory was one of astonishing highs and staggering lows as Rune went for all his shots, all the time.
At times it worked and at others it didn't as commentator John Fitzgerald painfully exclaimed at one point "he's playing like a junior".
Rublev had to simply withstand the barrage and take advantage of his opponent's streaky game.
Rublev at times in the final set looked down and out.
Rune broke him early and was cruising at 5-2 and had two match points, which Rublev saved.
Rublev then broke Rune to love, when the Dane served for the match.
But Rune persevered and took a 5-0 lead in the super tiebreak that ran out to 7-2 before Rublev fought back as nerves hit the teen.
Asked about the match resembling a rollercoaster, Rublev had a different take.
"It's like they put gun to your head, a rollercoaster is a lot easier," Rublev mused.
"I was 5-2 down survived two match points, 5-0, 7-2 in a super tiebreak.
"I never in my life was able to win matches like this, this is first time to win a match like this.
"It is something I will remember all my life, I am shaking."
Shelton and Wolf into a 5th
By Paul Johnson
Another men's singles going to 5.
This time Ben Shelton gets the better of another tiebreak and he and JJ Wolf are off to a deciding set.
Aussie wildcards looking to emulate 'Special Ks'
By Paul Johnson
Last year it was the high-profile pair of Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis getting it done as wildcards in the men's doubles.
This year another fairytale may just be unfolding, but not for a pair you would describe as household names.
Former junior number one Jason Kubler, finally injury free, made a splash at Wimbledon last year and at this Australian Open with a 70-shot rally against Karen Khachanov.
Now he and 21-year-old doubles partner Rinky Hijikata are into the men's quarters after a second straight come-from-behind victory.
Having beaten sixth seeds Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara in the previous round, the Aussie pair came back after dropping the opening set 6-1 to defeat Tomislav Brkic and Gonzalo Escobar 1-6, 7-6 (10/8), 6-4.
In doing so they booked a quarterfinal showdown with top seeds Wesley Koolhof and Neale Skupski.
The pair more hopeful than confident, but insistent anything can happen.
"This might be the first time we've played together," Hijikata said.
"Hopefully we keep it going."
Asked about their success Kubler thanked the crowds for raucous support and said serving was the key.
"I think we combine well," he said.
"We are doing great holding serve and are also two good returners.
"Hopefully we can have a better start [next match] it would be great if we can win the first few games.
"Hopefully we can use everyone's energy and fighting to the end."
Rune sends it to a 5th
By Paul Johnson
"A match with more twists and turns than a Dan Brown novel", exclaims the commentator.
And he's not wrong.
Holger Rune, after calling for the trainer and receiving treatment, then led for much of the set before blowing it when serving for it at 5-4.
Rublev it appeared would then at least force the set deeper.
But with both players shanking the ball as shadows crept across Rod Laver Arena, Rune broke again to take the set 6-4 and force a 5th.
Rublev threw his arms in the air, in response.
And now once again Rublev has left the court.
This one could go any way.
Wolf back up on John Cain
By Paul Johnson
Another tiebreaker to JJ Wolf out here and he leads this one two sets to one.
It's been a topsy-turvy contest but it'll be interesting to see if Wolf's experience can get him through against his younger opponent.
Rublev takes the third
By Paul Johnson
This one is going fast and now it's Andrey Rublev back on top.
The Russian appeared to be struggling at the start of that set but with him up 3-2 Holger Rune played an awful game on serve to gift Rublev the break.
It was like Rune totally lost his concentration for a couple of games and before you could blink Rublev had taken the third set 6-3.
Now it's Rune's turn to take the toilet break at the end of the set.
Kyrgios out of surgery
By Paul Johnson
Nick Kyrgios's summer was over before it began after he pulled out of the United Cup with an ankle injury and then the Australian Open with a knee injury.
The Wimbledon finalist had been hoping for a big Australian Open but had to have his knee drained, and then an MRI revealed a cyst caused by a small tear in his lateral meniscus.
His withdrawal rocked the Australian Open on day one.
Now he has had surgery and is seemingly looking forward to getting back to his best.
Before surgery Kyrgios said he hoped to be back for Indian Wells in March, there has been no update on the timeline for his recovery.
Shelton levels up
By Paul Johnson
The first set may have seen serve dominate but the second on John Cain Arena was all ben Shelton.
He ripped JJ Wolf apart in that one, winning nearly double the amount of points, to take the second set 6-2 and level the match.
Shelton also took his game up a notch, it's now over to Wolf to see if he can match the level.
Crowd to be a factor in Demon/Djoker showdown
By Paul Johnson
Alex De Minaur wants the Rod Laver Arena crowd behind him tonight and Novak Djokovic knows he won't get it his own way.
In round two Djokovic complained about a fan "provoking" him.
If he thought it was tough against French qualifier Enzo Couacaud, it's going to me much worse tonight.
De Minaur is counting on that.
"Now, I think the difference is that the opponents not only have to play against me but they've got to play against me and the whole crowd, right? That's probably the difference," he said.
My colleague Luke Pentony has a full preview here and it's well worth a read.
Shelton magic
By Paul Johnson
This is pretty absurd tennis fans.
Rune levels up
By Paul Johnson
That set was over fast as Holger Rune takes it 6-3.
And it was dominant from the Dane as he served it out to love.
Rublev looks shaken out there too as he makes his way off the court for a toilet break and I assume in an attempt to regroup.
Rublev who is a big hitter himself was just taken out of his element and bullied by the Danish teenager.
Game on! And if I am to make a prediction, this one will go five.
