By Chris Oddo

(March 23, 2013) -- Faced with some horrific Miami traffic conditions on Saturday afternoon, Serena Williams chose to forgo her new Rolls Royce and instead ride a bicycle to her third-round match with Japan's Ayumi Morita.

It was a clear indication that the World No. 1 is prepared to do whatever it takes to claim a record-setting sixth title in Miami.

Read: Approaching 32, Serena Williams is Paying Attention to Her Legacy

“I left it behind,” Williams said of the Rolls Royce that she has been parking in the player's lot all week at the Sony Tennis Open in Miami. “It was probably one of my best memories I think ever, riding a bike to a match. That's pretty cool.”

What was also cool was the way Williams responded to some adversity early in her 6-3, 6-3 victory on Saturday evening. She fell behind the 23-year-old Morita three games to love, but quickly righted the ship, reeling off six straight games and closing out the first set with a forehand winner that was scorched down the line.

Williams, who failed to serve a single ace in the first set, seemed to snap out of a haze in the second set. She served seven aces and won 20 of 23 first serve points against Morita, and even though the World No. 50 put up a strong fight for much of the evening, Williams was able to gain the advantage in the sixth game of the second set when Morita guided what appeared to be an easy volley into the tram lines.

From there it was academic, as the five-time Miami champion served the match out, finishing it with a service winner that Morita pushed well wide of the baseline.

Williams advances to face Dominika Cibulkova in the round of 16. The 13th-seeded Slovakian eased past Romina Oprandi 6-3, 6-4.

Defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska was also a winner on Saturday. The 4th seed overcame a stiff challenge from Magdalena Rybarikova, 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-3.

Radwanska will face American Sloane Stephens in the round of 16. Stephens advanced when Venus Williams was forced to withdraw from their heavily anticipated match with a lower back injury.

“It's really disappointing,” Williams told reporters in a press conference afterwards. “You know, this is just the kind of tournament that, you know, you want to play well at. But, you know, I have faced disappointments in my life and my career. It's not the first; probably not the last. Just have to get through it and stay positive.”

5th-seeded Li Na also advanced to the round of 16. with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over American Varvara Lepchenko.

Wozniacki, Kvitova Upset

It was a rough day in stifling heat for Petra Kvitova and Caroline Wozniacki. Kvitova, seeded seventh, was knocked off by Belgium's resurgent Kirsten Flipkens, 6-0, 4-6, 6-1, while Wozniacki bowed out to Spanish wildcard Garbine Muguruza, 6-2, 6-4.

In another upset, wildcard Ajla Tomljanovic took out Andrea Petkovic in three hard-fought sets, 0-6, 6-4, 7-6(1). The 19-year-old Croatian wildcard earned 25 break points in the two hour, twenty-eight minute tussle, converting on five.

(Photo Credit: AP)