Aryna Sabalenka's powerful serve and groundstrokes proved too much for Emma Raducanu as the Australian Open champion reached the fourth round at Indian Wells with a 6-3 7-5 victory while Naomi Osaka fell to Elise Mertens in straight sets on Monday.
Britain's former Grand Slam champion Raducanu is trying to find her form after multiple surgeries last year and played well but was unable to seize her opportunities, converting just one of 10 break points in her first meeting with Sabalenka.
The Belarusian, bedeviled by double faults in the past, issued one on her first match point but kept her composure and blasted a cross-court forehand winner on her fourth opportunity to seal the win under sunny skies in the California desert.