Petra Kvitova blasted her way into the last 16 of the US Open for only the third time in her career as she sent Anna Karolina Schmiedlova packing 6-2 6-1 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The fifth seed had not dropped a set as she cruised past Laura Siegemund and Nicole Gibbs in the first two rounds and she never looked in danger of doing so against Schmiedlova, whom she broke in the very first game of the match.

The 20-year-old from Slovakia simply had no answer to her Czech opponent's powerful ground strokes and appeared surprised by Kvitova's willingness to mix it up by coming to the net.

Appearing at the US Open for the first time, Schmiedlova was perhaps a touch jaded having endured a tough three-set clash with Danka Kovinic in round two and, although she did put up a little more resistance in the second set,  the number 32 seed never looked capable of springing a surprise.

Kvitova, in contrast, impressed throughout despite sporting a heavy bandage around her right hamstring and showed no ill effects of her continuing battle with mononucleosis.

The 25-year-old right-hander won 86 per cent of points on her first serve, averaging 100mph, and was especially effective at the net where she won 12 of 15 points and hit 29 winners to Schmiedlova's 10.

On this form, the 2011 and 2014 Wimbledon champion looks poised to enjoy her most successful US Open to date, but faces a stern taste in the next round in the shape of Britain's Johanna Konta, who beat 18th seed Andrea Petkovic 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 – her 16th win in a row.