Serena solid for record 23rd major title

So about that inflamed right shoulder that was supposed to hinder Serena Williams at the US Open as she seeks a record 23rd major title: It sure seems to be just fine.

"Definitely feels solid," Williams said.

Not sure? There's plenty of evidence. No need to take her word - or her coach's - for it.

Look at the way Williams beat 47th-ranked Johanna Larsson 6-1, 6-1 on Saturday to reach the fourth round at Flushing Meadows and collect the 307th Grand Slam match victory of her career, surpassing Martina Navratilova for most by a woman in the Open era and equaling Roger Federer for most by anyone since 1968.

Williams reached 194 km/h on a serve. She had a half-dozen aces, bringing her total this week to 31. She faced only one break point - her first of the tournament - and saved it. She smacked seven return winners. She compiled a 24-5 total edge in winners.

"Tennis-wise, I think it was very satisfying in all aspects. It's not perfect, of course," said her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou. "But for someone who didn't play many matches in the last two months, I think she's competitive."

Now there's an understatement.

"There is no pain. Maybe she feels a little. I don't know; I'm not in her shoulder. But I see she plays normal. She serves normal. At practice, she serves the quantity that we usually do, full power," Mouratoglou said. "So I don't see any problem. And she doesn't even talk about it. I know it's under control now."

That sounds like bad news for upcoming opponents, starting with 52nd-ranked Yaroslava Shvedova, who advanced to the round of 16 in New York for the first time by beating Zhang Shuai 6-2, 7-5.

Monday's other fourth-round women's matchups will be Williams' older sister Venus versus No 10 Karolina Pliskova, No 5 Simona Halep versus No 11 Carla Suarez Navarro, and No 4 Agnieszka Radwanska versus Ana Konjuh.

Venus Williams advanced comfortably Saturday night by beating No 26 Laura Siegemund 6-1, 6-2. In that half of the draw, only the players with the last name Williams have won a Grand Slam title; the sisters could meet in the semifinals a year after Serena eliminated Venus in the quarters.

Williams is 4-0 against Shvedova, who is best known for the first "golden set" in the Open era, which began in 1968: She won all 24 points of the first set against Sara Errani at Wimbledon in 2012.

"She's dangerous," Mouratoglou said. "But I think Serena is even more dangerous."

Larsson would probably agree.

"You're out there, you're trying to find ways to win," Larsson said, "but sometimes, it's just not happening."

Mouratoglou said Williams' shoulder began bothering her a day or two after Wimbledon, where she teamed with Venus to win doubles and tied Steffi Graf's Open-era record with Grand Slam singles title No 22.

This was Williams' first daytime match of the US Open, so she debuted a new outfit - a white dress accessorized with neon pink compression wraps on her arms, which she called "my Wonder Woman sleeves."