Serena Williams’ dreams of a glorious end to her illustrious career were ruined on Friday as the tennis icon was knocked out of the US Open by Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic. The 40-year-old Williams – who last month hinted she plans to retire after the Open – was beaten 7-5, 6-7 (4/7) 6-1 by Tomljanovic in a tough 3 hours and 5 minutes. defeated. war.
Williams, a sporting and cultural icon who earned 23 Grand Slam singles titles in a career spanning 27 years, put everything to one last stand in front of a brutally partisan crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
But the veteran weakened decisively in the third set, tired of the demands of a heroic second set performance, which saw him level the match in the tie-break.
As Tomljanovic took a 5–1 lead in the third, Williams summoned every last drop of his fighting spirit to avoid defeat, saving five match points in the marathon seventh game before finally succumbing.
Williams later saluted the crowd, as Tina Turner’s anthem “Simply the Best” was belted around the stands.
When asked by an on-court interviewer if there was any possibility she could advance her career, she replied: “I don’t think so, but you never know.”
“It’s been a fun ride,” she said. “It’s been the most incredible ride and journey I’ve ever had in my life, I mean.
“I’m so grateful to everyone who’s ever said ‘Go, Serena’ in their life. I’m so grateful. You got me here.”
Williams reserved special admiration for her parents Richard Williams and Oraceen Price, who set her and her older sister Venus on the path to superstardom.
“It all started with my parents,” Williams said. “They deserve everything. So I’m really grateful for them.”
Williams also paid tribute to her sister who watched from the stands.
“I wouldn’t be Serena. If there wasn’t Venus, thank you, Venus. That’s the only reason Serena Williams ever existed,” she said.
Meanwhile Tomljanovic expressed disappointment that Williams’ career was likely to end.
“I’m really sorry because I love Serena as much as you guys do,” she told the crowd. “What he has done for me, for the game of tennis, is unbelievable.
“I never thought I’d get to play with him in his last match when I remember seeing him in all those finals, so it’s a surreal moment for me.”
Tomljanovic said that he too had never felt sure about victory.
“Even until the very last point, I knew he was in a winning position even if he was down 5-1,” she said.
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“She is who she is and she is the greatest ever. Period.”
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