World No 1 Serena Williams stepped up her bid for her first Indian Wells title in 15 years with a 7-6 (2), 6-0 victory over Yulia Putintseva on Sunday.

Two-time Indian Wells champion Williams had a difficult time with Putintseva in the opening set but then steamrolled through the second to wrap up the win in 75 minutes.

"The first set was a little tricky, then I had to find my inner tiger and roar," Williams said.

Williams moves on to the fourth round of the hard-court tournament where she will face Kateryna Bondarenko who defeated Lesia Tsurenko 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7).

Williams has a chance to become the first three-time winner in women's singles at Indian Wells, a feat she failed to achieve last year when she was forced to withdraw from her semifinal match with a knee injury.

Williams, who won the event in 1999 and 2001, returned to the tournament last year, ending a 14-year boycott which began after she beat Kim Clijsters in the 2001 final.

That year spectators at Indian Wells booed Serena during the final and jeered her sister and father Richard Williams in the stands.

As the top seed and a 21 Grand Slam title winner, Williams is the clear favorite this week.

Her quest was boosted on Saturday with the elimination of two of the top five seeds in the women's draw, Angelique Kerber and Garbine Muguruza.

Williams got off to another slow start on Sunday but she closed out in style with an ace on match point.

She needed a tiebreaker to win the first set, taking the final three points, including the last two on her serve.

"I was just trying to find my rhythm out there. Trying my best to not get off to a slow start," she said. "I was just trying to fight and do what I could."