Serena Williams

Venus Williams got the better of her younger sister Serena to make it through to the fourth round at Indian Wells with a 6-3 6-4 win.

Serena was playing in her first tournament since giving birth last September and faced her sister for the 29th time, with Venus winning all but four of their meetings.

Serena saved three break points to hold her first service game but lost her third to love as Venus took a 4-2 lead and served out for the set in 37 minutes.

Venus raced to a 3-0 lead in the second set after breaking her sister twice and had a match point at 5-3 which Serena saved, before Venus saved a break point of her own at 5-4 and went on to take the match.

The number eight seed will go on to face Latvian Anastasija Sevastova who beat Julia Goerges in straight sets 6-3 6-3.

Second seed and Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki is through to the fourth round after seeing off Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-4 2-6 6-3, while US Open champion Sloane Stephens lost to Daria Kasatkina 6-4 6-3.

Serena Williams will make her playing comeback following the birth of her daughter at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi.

Williams has not played since winning the Australian Open in January, while she was six weeks pregnant, but will return to court to play French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko next Saturday.

The 36-year-old, who gave birth to Alexis Jr in September, is planning to make a competitive return at the Australian Open next month.

"I am delighted to be returning to the court in Abu Dhabi for the first time since the birth of my daughter in September," Williams told the tournament's official website.

"The Mubadala World Tennis Championship has long marked the beginning of the men's global tennis season and I am excited and honoured to be making my comeback as part of the first women to participate in the event.

"I look forward to seeing the fans in Abu Dhabi at the 10th Edition of the Championship very soon."

Men's world number one Rafael Nadal was also supposed to play in the event but withdrew due to ongoing troubles with his knee.