Serena Williams' illustrious career comes to an end after US Open defeat to Ajla Tomljanovic : The Telegraph

After 27 years, 23 major titles and a little over 1,000 matches, her professional tennis career (we think) was finally over.

The good news, for the millions who idolise her, is that Williams went out in style. No whimper here, just the bang of aces raining down from her racket as she pushed Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic past the three-hour mark.

The drama was as gripping as it had been during Williams’s final performance at Wimbledon, almost ten weeks ago, when she lost to Harmony Tan in a deciding-set tie-break.
 

This time, she clung to the final moments of her tenure with an iron grip. Tomljanovic served for the match at 5-1 in the deciding set, and moved to 40-30 with reasonable comfort. Then the resistance kicked in, with Williams banging Tomljanovic’s serve back past her with a primal yell.

Four more match points came and went, as Williams kept coming up with world-class groundstrokes as if she were playing at her very peak. And yet, to Tomljanovic’s credit, she held her nerve in the face of what could well have been the loudest cheers ever heard on this stadium.

Eventually, at the sixth time of asking, Williams put one last forehand in the net and the contest was over, by a 7-5, 6-7, 6-1 scoreline. It was the first time she had gone past three hours at the US Open, although the duration of 3hr 5min fell just short of the 3hr 11min she lasted against Tan at Wimbledon.

The standard of the opposition, and of the match itself, was considerably higher than it had been during that memorable night on Centre Court. While Tomljanovic’s ranking might be unspectacular, at No46 in the world, she is an unusually clean ball-striker who delivers a heavy punch off both wings.

Despite a sticky period early in the second set, when an inspired Williams ran out to a 4-0 lead, Tomljanovic made sure that the contest was physical throughout. Little by little, she wore down Williams’s endurance and took advantage of the 11-year age gap.
 

Tomljanovic also handled the on-court interview with great class, telling Mary Joe Fernandez that “I am feeling really sorry because I love Serena just as much as you guys. What she has for me and the sport of tennis is incredible and I never thought I would have the chance to play her in her last match.”

“Simply the best” was the stadium DJ’s apposite choice as the players shook hands and prepared themselves for their post-match chat. The fans waited to hear their thoughts, on a night when the US Open broke attendance records for the third time in this extraordinary week.

Williams became emotional as she thanked her parents, saying “These are happy tears, I guess. I don't know. And I wouldn't be Serena if there wasn't Venus, so thank you, Venus. She's the only reason that Serena Williams ever existed.”

She also seemed to leave a bit of wiggle room on the question of whether this was actually her final match. When Fernandez asked her if she might reconsider, she replied ”I don’t think so, but you never know.”

Half-an-hour later, though, Williams sounded clearer in her thinking when she addressed reporters in the interview room at Flushing Meadows.

“It takes a lot of work to get here,” she said. “Clearly I'm still capable. It takes a lot more than that. I'm ready to be a mom, explore a different version of Serena. Technically in the world I'm still super young, so I want to have a little bit of a life while I'm still walking.”

So what will Williams do on her first day as a civilian? “I'm definitely resting tomorrow,” she replied, “and then probably spending some time with my daughter.” And then, after a moment’s thought, she added the punchline. “I think I’m going to be karaoke-ing tomorrow.”

Serena Williams loses at the US Open, as it happened
 
End of an era
Thanks for joining me on a historic occasion. That final game and the entire match will live long in the memory. Full credit must go to Tomljanovic for producing what must have been one of her greatest ever performances.

As for Serena, 186 consecutive weeks at No. 1, four-time Olympic gold medalist, 23-time grand slam titles, 367 grand slams wins, six US Open titles and 73 career titles = the greatest!

Michelle Obama reacts
Congrats on an amazing career, Serena Williams! How lucky were we to be able to watch a young girl from Compton grow up to become one of the greatest athletes of all time. I'm proud of you, my friend—and I can't wait to see the lives you continue to transform with your talents.

James Blake

Serena. Thank you for being you and the inspiration to so many men and women. I’ve never seen a more intense competitor and it was an honor to share a court with you and watch history. Simply the best.

Tiger Woods
Serena Williams you’re literally the greatest on and off the court. Thank you for inspiring all of us to pursue our dreams. I love you little sis!!!!!!

Tomljanovic reacts
I'm feeling really sorry just because I love Serena just as much as you guys do. What she's done for me, for the sport of tennis, is incredible.

I never thought I'd have a chance to play her in her last match when I remember watching her in all those finals, so this is a surreal moment for me.

I just thought she would beat me, so the pressure wasn't on me. Even to the last point, I knew that she's in a posiion to win even when she's down 5-1.

That's just who she is and she's the greatest of all time. Period.

Serena in tears
She thanks her mum, dad and fans:
It all started with my parents and they deserve everything. I wouldn't be Serena if there wasn't Venus. It's been a fun ride.

The end
One last twirl to the crowd and standing ovation. Simply the best by Tina Turner plays around the stadium.

Williams* 5-7, 7-6, 1-6 Tomljanovic (*denotes next server)
Williams return long, 15-0. Williams forehand winner down the line, 15-15. Tomljanovic forehand long, 15-30.

Tomljanovic forehand winner, 30-30. Williams forehand into the net, MATCH POINT.

Williams is not done yet, she goes after Tomljanovic serve and finishes with a drive volley winner, deuce.

Williams forehand return into the tramlines, second match point. Williams forehand down the line and Tomljanovic can't get the ball back in play, deuce.

Tomljanovic keeps her nerve and hits another forehand winner, third match point. Saved again by Williams with a forehand winner.

Williams is rushed and her backhand goes long, fourth match point. Brilliant again from Williams. She is digging in here.

Tomljanovic forehand long, break point Williams. Williams forehand long, deuce.

As we pass the three hour mark, Williams puts a forehand long, fifth match point.

Williams forehand return winner. INCREDIBLE TENNIS. Tomljanovic forehand into the net, break point Williams. Williams forehand long, deuce. The tension is unbearable.

Unreal speed by Williams to reach a drop shot and she puts away a backhand overhead, break point.

Sensational tennis again from Tomljanovic to keep her nerve and put away forehand winner, deuce. We are approaching the 14 minute mark.

Tomljanovic ace, sixth match point. Williams forehand into the net, GAME SET MATCH TOMLJANOVIC.

WHAT A GAME.