Angelique Kerber is threatening to seize Australian Open title favouritism after storming to her 10th straight victory of the summer.

The 2016 champion and former world No.1 maintained her unbeaten start to the year with a merciless 6-0 6-4 first-round win over German compatriot Anna-Lena Friedsam at Melbourne Park on Tuesday.

Undefeated at the Hopman Cup in Perth and triumphant at last week’s Sydney International, Kerber has buried the demons of a horror 2017 season in emphatic fashion.