Williams: 'I don't feel like I'm Serena out there yet'

One doesn't hold down the world No. 1 ranking for 186 consecutive weeks without a certain affinity for perfection, and Serena Williams is very much a perfectionist.

That's why, even after romping into the second week of the US Open without losing more than three games in any set - breaking Martina Navratilova's all-time record for Grand Slam match wins along the way - she still doesn't feel great about her performance.

"I feel okay," Serena said Saturday, after annihilating Johanna Larsson 6-2, 6-1 in the third round. "Obviously I don't feel like I'm Serena out there yet, but hopefully she'll come around the second week."

Serena also looked noticeably peeved about her play during her second-round win over Vania King on Thursday, which she won 6-3, 6-3.

Things will undeniably get more difficult in the coming days, particularly if and when she faces Simona Halep in the quarterfinals. But even if Serena doesn't find the "Serena" she's looking for, she's still got a great shot at surpassing Steffi Graf with her 23rd major title.

If the soon-to-be 35-year-old proved anything last season, it's that she doesn't need to be at her best (or, in some cases, even close) in order to lay waste to the rest of the women's field.