Serena drops a game to McHale at Miami

Three-time defending champion Williams had the match on her racquet before having to withstand a fightback from her 23-year-old rival and taking two hours and seven minutes to reach the third round. “She just started playing better, the kind of tennis she’s never played before,” said Williams on Thursday. “I made a few mistakes and then I had to pull myself back together. I feel like I was just playing, but it’s all right. I’m back now and I’m going.” Top seed Williams, who watched tournaments at the combined WTA and ATP hard court event as a child, will next face Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan, who ousted Australian Daria Gavrilova 7-5, 6-3. Williams fired 13 aces and 36 winners with 43 unforced errors while McHale responded with seven aces and 26 winners against 31 unforced errors.