The tennis icon from the USA lost her third-round duel on Saturday night against Australian Ajla Tomljanović 5: 7.7: 6 (4), 1: 6. The approximately 24,000 fans at New York’s Arthur Ashe Stadium nevertheless celebrated the 40-year-old Williams like a winner after more than three hours of play. She shed “tears of joy” and left a tiny back door open when it came to resigning.
Hardly any game practice, slipped to 605th place in the world rankings, weak results before the tournament – but Williams defied the low expectations. At times she played almost like the best of times at Flushing Meadows Park, and you could always count on her heart as a fighter. Against Tomljanović, who meets the in-form Russian Lyudmila Samsonowa in the round of 16, Williams fended off a total of five match points in the third set despite a hopeless 1:5 deficit.
“I’m very sorry, I love her like all of you,” said Tomljanović into the stadium microphone, visibly uncomfortable: “She’s the greatest of all time”. Williams, on the other hand, couldn’t hold back tears as she thanked her family. “These are tears of joy, I think,” said the 23-time Grand Slam tournament winner: “It was a fun journey, I’m just grateful.”
At her expected farewell tournament, Williams had previously raised vague hopes of her 24th Grand Slam title with two surprising victories, with which she could have matched the all-time record of Australian Margaret Court. “I’m such a fighter,” she said proudly. “I feel like I’ve really given and still give to tennis. The different look, the winning fist, the crazy intensity.” She was “so grateful that I had these moments, that I’m Serena”.
For Williams, who missed the round of 16 at the US Open for the first time since her debut in 1998, the 81st may also have been the last Grand Slam tournament of her glorious career. The exceptional athlete announced her retirement a few weeks ago. And yet, after 24 years, 81 Grand Slam tournaments and a number of ups and downs, she still wanted to keep a tiny back door open for a return.
“I don’t think so, but you never know,” said Williams, who, looking ahead to the Australian Open early next year, added with a smile: “I’ve always loved Australia…” But a return is not realistic. She is now ready to be even more “mother, to be a different version of Serena”. “A bright future” lies ahead of her.
The day before, Williams had already been eliminated with her sister in what was probably their last professional appearance together in doubles. The 14-time Grand Slam tournament winners lost to the Czechs Lucie Hradecka/Linda Noskova 6:7(5:7),4:6. Thanks to a wild card, the Williams sisters were back on the pitch together for the first time since the 2018 French Open.
Source: Nachrichten
