INDIAN WELLS (AFP) - Three-time champion Rafael Nadal powered into the third round of the ATP Indian Wells Masters on Sunday with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Argentina's Guido Pella.

Nadal, seeded fifth, next faces either 26th-seeded fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco or France's Pierre-Hugues Herbert.

"It was a difficult first round," Nadal said. "He's a player who is always tough, a complete player. He's a lefty like me, so it's always tricky to play."

Nadal, who followed his runner-up finish at the Australian Open with a runner-up finish in Acapulco, is seeking his first hard- court title since winning at Doha in 2014.

In women's action, French Open champion Garbine Muguruza battled past tenacious teenager Kayla Day 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 to reach the fourth round.

The seventh seed from Spain next faces Ukrainian 10th seed Elina Svitolina, a 6-2, 6-1 winner over Australian Daria Gavrilova.

Day, a hard-hitting 17-year-old Californian who received a wild card into the draw, pushed the Grand Slam champion hard. But she ran out of steam in the final set, surrendering with a double fault on match point.