Serena Williams suffered a likely career-ending defeat when she was knocked out of the US Open on Friday by Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic.
The 23-time Grand Slam title winner and six-time champion in New York, lost her third round clash 7-5, 6-7 (4/7), 6-1.
Williams, who turns 41 in three weeks’ time, had said she remained “vague” over her retirement plans but without a major title since 2017, her 27-year-career was now almost certainly over.
The former long-time world number one saved five match points in what proved to be the final game but was powerless to stop a sixth.
Almost everyone who could rose to their feet when she departed the court on Arthur Ashe Stadium – the scene of her first major triumph in 1999 and five more of the finest wins in her storied career – for what she intends to be the last time.
As she waved goodbye and gave a signature twirl, Tina Turner’s pop classic ‘Simply The Best’ boomed out over the sound system.
