Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka kept their date for a clash in the semi-finals by coasting past their respective opponents in the second round of the Australian Open.

Williams, who started her campaign with a win over Edina Gallovits-Hall, did not show any signs of the ankle injury sustained in the opening round, easing to a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Garbine Muguruza of Spain.

The 31-year-old, title favorite at Melbourne Park, said her ankle was feeling better.

"It feels better, I was just doing everything you can do (to get ready for the match)," Williams said.

Williams suffered another injury scare in the second round match, albeit a more minor one, smacking herself in the face in the seventh game of the first set.

"One day I twist my ankle, today I hit myself in the face, I do not know what's going to happen on Saturday," Williams added with a smile. "Hopefully I just hit some winners."

The American will now face Ayumi Morita in the second round, after the Japanese defeated German Annika Beck 6-2, 6-0.

World number one and defending champion Azarenka also sealed passage to the next round with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Eleni Daniilidou of Greece.

"I felt really good," the Belarusian said. "I enjoyed a lot the way I was focused. I was definitely something that I stepped it up from my first match, and I was in the zone trying to execute all of my shots. I was trying to make everything happen, and that's what I'm happy about.

"I was just trying to focus on one point at a time and not looking too much at the scoreboard or anything.  Just really executing myself and stay in the moment."

Azarenka will take on American Jamie Hampton in the third round with the 23-year-old dispatching Luksika Kumkhum of Thailand 6-1, 6-2.

Elsewhere, Russian Maria Kirilenko, seeded 14, defeated Shuai Peng of China 6-2, 6-0 while No. 21 seed Varvara Lepchenko of U.S. went down to Elena Vesnina 6-4, 6-2.