Novak Djokovic eased into the Australian Open third round, but Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori faced sterner tests before advancing on Thursday.
World number one Djokovic dropped just five games as he demolished Andrey Kuznetsov.
For a brief moment, the Serbian star could have been excused for dreaming of a whitewash victory on Rod Laver Arena.
Instead, Djokovic had to settle for a 6-0 6-1 6-4 victory over the Russian.
Kuznetsov needed until the 10th game to finally get on the board against the ruthless seven-time grand slam champion.
Djokovic was halfway to becoming the first man since Richard Russell in 1966 to complete a whitewash in the men's singles at the Australian Open.
Spaniard Fernando Verdasco earned a showdown with Djokovic after defeating Go Soeda 6-3 6-2 7-6 (7-3).
Wawrinka edged past the big-serving Marius Copil to keep his title defence alive.
The Swiss fourth seed was challenged but his class was on show in the big moments as he claimed a 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 win.
Wawrinka will meet Jarkko Nieminen, who is into the third round of a grand slam for the first time since 2008 after beating Matthias Bachinger 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 7-5.
Nishikori overcame a fierce test from Ivan Dodig.
The Japanese fifth seed was forced into a fight before prevailing 4-6 7-5 6-2 7-6 (7-0) in two hours 47 minutes.
Next up for Nishikori is Steve Johnson after the American reached the third round of a slam for just the second time thanks to a 6-3 6-4 6-2 win over Colombian 30th seed Santiago Giraldo.
Milos Raonic won in straight sets against, with the eighth-seeded Canadian accounting for Donald Young 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 6-3.
Benjamin Becker, who pipped local favourite Lleyton Hewitt 2-6 1-6 6-3 6-4 6-2, awaits in the third round.
Feliciano Lopez saved a match point before advancing again.
The Spanish 12th seed had saved three match points to beat Denis Kudla, and he saved another to get past Adrian Mannarino.
Mannarino retired due to cramp, at a time when he was leading the match 6-4 6-4 6-7 (3-7) 0-4.
Lopez will meet Jerzy Janowicz after the Pole upstaged Gael Monfils 6-4 1-6 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 6-3.
John Isner remains on track for a fourth-round clash against Djokovic after the big-serving 19th seed overcame Andreas Haider-Maurer 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 6-4.
But first he will have to get past Gilles Muller after the left-hander from Luxembourg stunned Spanish 13th seed Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6 (7-5) 1-6 7-5 6-1.
French 18th seed Gilles Simon was untroubled by Marcel Granollers, completing a 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 6-4 win.
The ninth-seeded David Ferrer overcame a slow start to get past Sergiy Stakhovsky 5-7 6-3 6-4 6-2 to set up a clash against Simon.
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez thrashed Alejandro Gonzalez 6-1 6-3 6-3 and will meet Vasek Pospisil, who beat Paolo Lorenzi 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 6-4.