Indian Wells, CA, USA, 11 March 2018 | tennis.com.au

Daria Gavrilova won 11 of the last 14 games as she beat Belgian Yanina Wickmayer for the second year running in the second round at Indian Wells on Saturday.

Gavrilova, who had a bye in the first round as the 26th seed, came through 7-6(3) 6-2 against the world number 91.

The Australian number two goes on to face French seventh seed Caroline Garcia, who beat American Jennifer Brady 6-4 6-4, in round three.

Ash Barty and Sam Stosur had already departed on Friday, and it looked as though Australian interest in the women’s singles would end swiftly when Garilova fell 2-5 down.

Four double-faults in her opening two service games did not help, but once Gavrilova stemmed the flow of free points to her opponent, she began to take control.

Wickmayer twice failed to serve out the set and then let an early lead slip in the tie-break, with Gavrilova’s resurgence summed up by a brilliant forehand winner off her opponent’s smash.

Gavrilova converted her first set point and raced 3-0 clear in the second, overcoming a loss of serve in game four to see out the match in relative comfort.

Alex de Minaur will carry Australian hopes in the men’s singles when he faces sixth seed Juan Martin del Potro on Sunday.