Daria Gavrilova has survived a thunderstorm and some lightning shot-making from fearless compatriot Olivia Rogowska to set up second-round showstopper with Samantha Stosur at the Sydney International.

The wet weather left Gavrilova hanging one game away from victory before she resumed some two hours later to complete a 6-4 1-6 7-5 win at Olympic Park on Tuesday night.

Wildcard Rogowska was serving at 4-5 down in the deciding set when play resumed and saved one match point on Ken Rosewall Arena before eventually succumbing to the world No.25 after two hours and 12 minutes of on-court action.

Gavrilova next faces a friendly grudge match on Wednesday night against Stosur, who much earlier on Tuesday progressed to the last 16 with a plucky 4-6 7-5 6-3 win over German Carina Witthoeft.

As well as a quarter-final spot at stake, Gavrilova and Stosur will both get a shot at revenge after jostling last year for the Australian No.1 ranking.

In their last encounter, on clay, Stosur denied Gavrilova in a keenly contested three-set final at the Strasbourg International last May.

Despite the defeat, Gavrilova a fortnight later ended Stosur’s record 442-week unbroken reign as Australia’s queen of the court.

The pair are locked at 1-1 in head-to-head meetings, with Gavrilova beating Stosur in their first clash at the 2015 Canadian Masters.