Match Highlights:
The 23-time Grand Slam winner beat World No.2 and second-seeded Kontaveit on Wednesday night before a raucous and energetic crowd at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
In her second round, the champ moved better and played better than she had in her recent matches. She also appeared more composed than she was during opening night.
“It’s no rush here,” Williams said. “I’m loving this crowd.”
“I’m a pretty good player. This is what I do. I love a challenge, and I’m rising to the challenge.”
The stadium was packed and included Tiger Woods and Venus Williams. She won the first-set tiebreak. Kontaveit won the second set before Williams took back the second set, winning six of the eight games.
NO STOPPING #SERENA
— wta (@WTA) September 1, 2022
Six-time champion @serenawilliams defeats World No.2 Kontaveit 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-2 to advance to Round 3 at the #USOpen!! pic.twitter.com/9d9NsLDdMk
“I don’t have anything to prove. I don’t have anything to win. I have absolutely nothing to lose,” she said.
“Honestly, I never get to play like this since ‘98 really. Literally, I’ve had an X on my back since ‘99. It’s kind of fun. I really enjoy just coming out and enjoying it. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to do that.”
“At this point, honestly, everything is a bonus for me I feel,” Williams said before the Kontaveit match. “I think every opponent is very difficult. Ive seen that over the summer. The next one is even more difficult. I’m just not even thinking about that. I’m just thinking about just this moment. I think its good for me just to live in the moment now.”
“The last couple matches here in New York its really come together. There’s still a little left in me. We’ll see.”
“I’ve kept my head super low throughout this whole process, ever since the news came out three weeks ago, she told reporters Monday. I’m really good at putting myself in a bubble. That’s kind of what Ive been doing. Sometimes Ill hear a snippet of this, a snippet of that.”
“But for me, in order to get through it, because its not easy, but to just get through the emotions and everything that I’m feeling, I just had to just kind of just go in and just be sort of alone and just of all kinds of media, social media, and stuff. Yeah, I’m just trying to deal with that.”
She will next face Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round on Friday.