Ukraninan fourth seed Elina Svitolina is breaking new ground at the Australian Open, advancing to the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park for the first time.

The 23-year-old booked a quarter-final berth with a comprehensive straight-sets win over Czech qualifier Denisa Allertova in the early hours of Monday morning.

Svitolina had her serve broken once but was largely untroubled on her way to a 6-3 6-0 win in just under an hour on Rod Laver Arena.

“My intensity was the same throughout the match … it was very high,” Svitolina said.

“At the beginning she was matching my intensity and then I was just trying to raise my level, trying to go more for my shots.

“In the end I was probably stronger with my game because she start a little bit missing here and there and I think this was the key.

“I was more patient and was more solid.”

Svitolina, whose previous best performance at Melbourne Park was a third-round appearance, will meet Belgium’s Elise Mertens in the last-eight

“I have my plan … what I have to do on court to just go out there and fight until the last point and just give my best,” she said.

“I know her game because I played against her once and I know what to expect from her.

“I’m going to have few things from my coaches. But the main thing for me is to be there be ready.”

Svitolina, who won the Brisbane International in the lead in to the Australian Open, defeated Mertens in the final in Istanbul last year on clay.