Ashleigh Barty has marched into the quarter-finals of the Birmingham Classic with a comfortable 6-3 6-1 win over American Jennifer Brady.

Barty, a finalist at this event last year, who can move to No.1 in the world rankings this week, showed no effects from a rain-interrupted encounter to brush aside Brady in just under an hour.

The victory was the Queenslander’s ninth victory in a row and sets up a clash with five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams or China’s Wang Qiang, who meet later on Thursday.

American Brady has been in good form, reaching the semi-finals in Nottingham last week, but she was no match for Barty.