Venus Williams will take advice from sister Serena before facing Belinda Bencic in the third round of the US Open.

The elder Williams sibling - a two-time champion in the women's singles at Flushing Meadows - was made to work hard in a 6-3 6-7 (2-7) 6-2 victory over Irina Falconi on Wednesday.

She will now face rising star Bencic, who enhanced her growing reputation by winning last month's Rogers Cup following a stunning victory over Serena in the semi-finals.

Speaking after her second-round win, Venus said: "I actually didn't see that match [between Bencic and Serena], so I'm not sure how that transpired.

"We always give each other advice, especially if one of us has played the other opponent recently. So, yeah, we always are there for encouragement and advice.

"She'll probably give me some pointers like tomorrow or Friday. She's got pretty sage advice. I like to think she knows best."

Serena, who could yet meet Venus in the last eight, is now five wins away from completing a sensational calendar Grand Slam.

However, the world number one also faced a stern test of her capabilities on Wednesday as she beat Kiki Bertens 7-6 (7-5) 6-3.

Assessing the pressure on her sister's shoulders, Venus added: "I think she's handling it like another tournament that she feels like is within her reach. She feels confident. She knows she has the game. That's how she's handling it.

"Nerves are normal. You can't be cured from them unless you're a machine. So it's normal to have nerves.

"It's just about how you deal with it and how you conquer that moment. You can see it as a burden or see it as something you go through and get used to hopefully."