By Chris Oddo | Thursday March 24, 2016

Earlier this week Serena Williams penned a column in the New York Times to express her longtime love for the Miami Open. The eight-time champion nearly had her annual visit cut short by a gritty Christina McHale but a late rally helped the 34-year-old reach the third round with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 victory.

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McHale saved a match point and reeled off the final four games of the second set to put the pressure on Williams, but the eight-time champion stood tall in the final set to clinch her 65th career victory against just five losses at Crandon Park.

Williams, who won 15 of 16 first-serve points in the decider and saved both break points she faced in set three, closed the match with her 12th ace to book a third-round meeting with Zarina Diyas.

5th-seeded Simona Halep powered past rising Russian Daria Kasatkina in a heavily anticipated matchup in the night session, 6-3, 7-5, to set up a third-round clash with Germany’s Julia Goerges.

Halep won the first ten points of the match against the world No. 36, but was broken twice in the first three games before pulling away to take the final three games of the opener.

In the second set Kasatkina rallied from 2-5 down to level, but the Romanian grabbed the next two games to close the match without further complication.

Halep was able to capitalize on her opportunities with an aggressive mindset against the 18-year-old. She hit 24 winners against 33 unforced errors, while Kasatkina only managed 10 winners against 41 unforced.

Kasatkina showed much of the athleticism and ball-striking skills that have caused many to tab her as a future star, but she was too erratic and unable to keep the world-class counterpuncher on the defensive long enough to win the big points.

Impressively, Halep won 31 of 53 points against Kasatkina’s first serve, and broke six times on ten opportunities.

Halep was a semifinalist last year in Miami. Williams defeated her in three sets en route to winning the title for the eighth time.

The pair could end up meeting again in this year’s semis.