A Calm Serena Williams Advances to US Open Round 3

Serena Williams won her second match Thurs. night at the US Open, with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Margarita Gasparyan, advancing her to the third round on Saturday. Serena’s drive for the elusive, 24th major singles title is on, as she is one match shy of tying Margaret Court’s mark of 24

Apparently Serena missed a return serve -- the type of action that would normally upset her intensely. This time she says she let it go, and then says "I think this is what has been holding me back." meaning her emotional responses to a bad move, part of her hyper-critical, self-assessing nature.

Also -- Williams doesn't come right out and say it because she loves her fans -- Serena isn't negative about not playing before the crowd. And the crowd at the US Open is with her. She says it's like playing again in the juniors, when nobody but parents came to watch.

Both of those conditions are calming for Serena, giving her focus, and we only hope that Serena can translate this calm state into a big US Open win. .

Next up, the six-time champ Williams and 2017 US Open titlist Sloane Stephens, who moved on via a 6-2, 6-2 decision over Olga Govortsova of Belarus, will meet on Saturday. No time yet but they are later in day.

Williams has dominated Williams in head-to-heads, 5-1, which includes a Round-of-16 win at the US Open in 2013, but they haven't faced each other in five years.