Two-time Australian Open finalist Li Na is one match closer to making it three with a dominant fourth-round defeat of Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova.

The fourth-seeded Li took less than an hour to dispose of Makarova 6-2 6-0, setting up a quarter-final against Italy’s Flavia Pennetta.

The fourth seed has led in both her finals in Melbourne – against Kim Clijsters in 2011 and Victoria Azarenka last year when severely hampered by an ankle injury.

Pennetta, the 28th seed, endured more serious opposition from German ninth seed Angelique Kerber before registering one of her best grand slam wins 6-1 4-6 7-5.

Despite being closer to the end of her career than the beginning, Pennetta’s run is her best in 10 appearances at the Australian Open and follows her best-ever grand-slam performance when a semi-finalist at last year’s US Open.

Li broke Makarova in the third game of the opening set, establishing a superiority that was barely threatened.

A second break gave Li a 5-2 lead and she duly served out for a 1-0 lead.

The only lapse in Li’s performance came in the fourth game of the second set when she offered her opponent two break points which she failed to convert.