Serena Williams Cruises in US Open 2nd Round, Sets Up Clash with Sloane Stephens

Serena Williams' quest for her 24th Grand Slam singles title will continue after she defeated Margarita Gasparyan, 6-2, 6-4 on Thursday in the second round of the U.S. Open on Thursday.

Williams will now face Sloane Stephens in a battle of U.S. Open champions on Saturday.

Williams' serves were simply too strong en route to her 103rd career U.S. Open, which stands as an all-time tournament record.

She had seven aces on the night, including one to stave off a break point when the second set was tied at four. Williams eventually held serve and then broke Gasparyan to win the match.

The first set was all Williams, who earned an early break and largely cruised from there.

After taking an early 1-0 lead, Williams fell behind 40-0 with Gasparyan serving. However, Williams responded by winning the next five points.

Gasparyan had a chance to win that break back with Williams serving down 30-40 but up 3-1 in games, but the six-time U.S. Open champion survived and won after three straight points.

Gasparyan did get a break point later in the set, but Williams won two more break points of her own, including one to close out a 6-2 win.

To her credit, Gasparyan hung tough in the second set. The No. 117 ranked player in the world fell behind 3-1 after losing a break point but got a break back of her own to crawl within 3-2.

However, Williams responded with a break after a 16-point game. Gasparyan would not go away quietly, though, as she broke Williams to make the second-set score 4-3.

Gasparyan held serve to tie the set at four before the game of the match occurred.

Williams got up 40-0 quickly, but Gasparyan responded with three straight points for deuce.

Excellent tennis on both sides ensued, with both players refusing to give an inch. In the end, Williams was simply too good and too tough for Gasparyan, who fought valiantly in defeat.

Gasparyan wasn't far off from wresting momentum and pushing this match to three games, but unforced errors ultimately doomed her, as she committed 22 of them on the night.

Williams now will take on Stephens, who won the 2017 U.S. Open with a straight-sets victory over Madison Keys.

Williams has won the tournament six times, with her last victory in 2014.