A serene Serena Williams not feeling Grand Slam pressure

Serena Williams, of the United States, reacts to winning a point in the second set against Belinda Bencic, of Switzerland, during the Rogers Cup semifinal tennis tournament, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015 in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Serena Williams, of the United States, reacts to winning a point in the second set against Belinda Bencic, of Switzerland, during the Rogers Cup semifinal tennis tournament, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015 in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT

By Associated Press August 18, 2015 3 min read

MASON, Ohio (AP) – (AP) – One major title stands between Serena Williams and a Grand Slam, and she’s enjoying this “awesome” and “crazy” ride.

“There’s still a lot I want to win, but I just want to keep growing,” she said Tuesday. “I just enjoy going out there every time I’m out there. I have a different outlook. I’m intense when I’m out there, but I also realize that life is super short and tomorrow isn’t promised.”

Williams is seeded first and the defending champion at the Western & Southern Open, a warmup for the U.S. Open. She is coming off a loss to Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic in the semifinals of the Rogers Cup in Toronto.

The top-ranked player in women’s tennis already has the “Serena Slam” – reigning champion of every Grand Slam tournament. The run started at last year’s U.S. Open. The last calendar Grand Slam was by Steffi Graf in 1988.

“I think the ‘Serena Slam’ is really unbelievable,” she said. “I didn’t think I would ever do it again. I mean, I thought I would, but when it didn’t happen after a while. . It’s captivating. It’s awesome. It’s crazy.”