The top favorites had a good day in Indian Wells, qualifying for the third round of the WTA 1000. The biggest name to leave the tournament in the Californian desert is Belinda Bencic.

Sabalenko, Pegula, Gauff and Sakkari in the third round at Indian Wells

Sabalenka (second favorite and Australian Open champion) needed just 65 minutes to cruise past Russia’s Evgenia Rodina (427 WTA), 6-2, 6-0.

Pegula (the 3rd seed) had a tougher task against Italy’s Camila Giorgi, losing the first set 6-3, but came back impressively to win 6-1, 6-2.

Coco Gauff (favorite 6) categorically defeated the Iberian Cristina Buksha (90 WTA, eliminated Gabriela Ruse in the last round of qualification), score 6-2, 6-4.

Maria Sakkari (7 seed) got off to a rough start against Shelby Rogers, leading in a set and a break, but rallied to win in eight straight games, 2-6, 6-4, 6-0.

Veronika Kudermetova (11), Petra Kvitova (15), Barbora Krejchikova (16), Karolina Plishkova (17) and Yelena Ostapenko (26) are also next, and Belinda Bencic (9), Kateryna Alexandrova (18), Shuai Zhang (22) ), Donna Vekich (29) and Amanda Anisimova (31) were eliminated.

The results were recorded on Friday in Indian Wells

Angelina Kalinina (27) – Linda Fruhvirtova 4-6, 6-4, 7-5

Olena Ostapenko (24) – Oleksandra Sasnovych 7-5, 3-6, 6-2

Jill Teichmann – Belinda Bencic (9) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3

Lesya Tsurenko – Donna Vekich (29) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2

Barbora Krejchikova (16) – Dayana Yastremska 6-1, 6-2

Veronika Kudermetova (11) – Anna Blinkova 6-3, 6-4

Aryna Sabalenko (2) – Evgenia Rodina 6-2, 6-0

Petra Kvitova (15) – Elizabeth Mandlik 6-1, 7-5

Anastasia Potapova (26) – Xiu Wang 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-2

Rebecca Peterson – Shuai Zhang (22) 3-0 (Zhang eliminated)

Maria Sakkari (7) – Shelby Rogers 2-6, 6-4, 6-0

Xinyu Wang – Kateryna Alexandrova (18) 6-2, 6-3

Coco Gauff (6) – Christina Bux 6-2, 6-4

Karolina Plishkova (17) – Anna Klainska 2-6, 6-0, 6-4

Jessica Pegula (3) – Camila Giorgi 3-6, 6-1, 6-2

Linda Noskova – Amanda Anisimova (31) 7-6(6), 6-3.

Indian Wells will be held from March 6-19 on hard and 96 players have started in the two main draws. The contest offers $8,800,000 each for men and women. Titled champions – Taylor Fritz and Iga Svyatek.