22nd seed Belinda Bencic was beaten by an impressive Amanda Anisimova out on Kia Arena.
The world number 60 overcame a nervy start to win 6-2, 7-5.
Interestingly, the 20-year-old from New Jersey reached the fourth round here in Melbourne three years ago.
She will be looking to replicate that run after moving into the third round.
Awaiting her is four-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one Naomi Osaka.
“I've been wanting to play her for a while. It would be fun to match up with her in the third round.” @AnisimovaAmanda is ready to take centre stage against the defending champion in Naomi Osaka
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 19, 2022@Kia_Worldwide · #Kia · #MovementThatInspires · #AusOpen · #AO2022 pic.twitter.com/ogoR7nVEaL
Spectators would be forgiven for muddling Anisimova and Bencic with both sporting matching Nike outfits in the Melbourne sun.
It was Bencic, 24, who began the faster of the two, however, as she broke her 20-year-old opponent in the opening game.
They traded breaks as Anisimova got on the scoreboard.
Some sweet hitting from the American at 3-2 saw her gain another break, before a double fault from the Swiss handed Anisimova the double break and with it the first set 6-2.
A fine cross-court backhand from the racquet of Anisimova helped her hold serve at the beginning of the second.
At 1-0 down, the Olympic champion came up with some clutch tennis to stave off three break points and hold serve.
Anisimova wasn’t shaken as she continued to look solid on her service games, holding to love to move 2-1 ahead.
Bencic, to her credit, upped her level and broke the American to move 3-2 ahead, only to immediately surrender her own serve.
Anisimova went through the gears and was not to be denied as she snapped up her third match point, nailing a forehand winner into the open court.
The American gave out a huge smile and clenched her fist, sealing a seventh win a row after her title victory at the Gippsland Trophy in Melbourne.
Elsewhere, Greek ace and fifth seed Maria Sakkari crushed China’s Qinwen Zheng in one hour and 30 minutes, 6-1, 6-4.
Meanwhile, last year’s French Open winner and fourth seed, Barbora Krejčíková, beat Chinese wildcard Xiyu Wang comfortably 6-2, 6-3.
Sakkari will face 28th seed Veronika Kudermetova, and former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko awaits Krejčíková.
