Serena’s smash and grab sees off McHale

IS there anything less serene than Serena Williams scorned? Is there anything as dangerous? Poor Christina McHale now knows the answers, having watched the grand old queen of tennis smash a racket in an almighty tantrum and then use its replacement to dump her out of Wimbledon. But what a near miss it was for the world No 65. What a wonderful upset this might have been for one of America’s lesser-known lights against its brightest. McHale, quite simply, had this match in her grasp. She won the first set and, after being blitzed in the second, snatched a break in the third. Williams’ emotions came pouring out in an extraordinary outburst. She lost the plot after losing one too many points. She had returned to her chair after losing the first set, calmly at first, then slammed her racket against the ground. Then she did it again and again and again and again. She picked it up and slung it behind her, where it came to rest on a cameraman’s lap. It was her best shot for more than an hour. The response was to win the next set before edging a brilliantly tense decider, taking the second-round match 6-7, 6-2, 6-4. Williams didn’t manage a meaningful smile until the very last point, which she claimed with a thumping ace. ‘It was a really good match. She played great and always does against me,’ said Williams. ‘I know that mentally no one can break me and I knew being a break down in the third set I had to put my mind to it and that’s what I did.’ Her sister Venus survived four rain interruptions and an inspired teenage opponent to book her place in the last 16. Eighth seed Williams was pushed all the way by Russian rising star Daria Kasatkina before eventually triumphing 7-5, 4-6, 10-8 over two hours and 42 minutes on Court No 1. Venus (left) said: ‘My opponent played so well and it wasn’t easy to play against someone who was so inspired. That was my biggest problem today outside of the rain. ‘It was intense. You think, “Hold serve” — easier said than done.’