Athletes, legendary or ordinary, who leave the arena entirely of their own accord are rare. Serena Williams didn’t want her career to end in Flushing Meadows, NYC on Friday night, but if it weren’t for her change of heart in the coming months, it would be.
Williams’ 40-year-old accusation came at the relentless hand of Ajra Tomljanovic, a player who is almost 12 years younger. One of the greatest tennis players of all time, he lost in the third round of the US Open 7-5, 6-7, 6-1. It was her first time since 1998, when she was 16, that Williams had been ejected at this major.
A year later, she began her ascent to global tennis supremacy, winning the US Open, the first of 23 majors. This is a record of the open age of tennis.
Williams has the second-most remaining games in the majors behind Margaret Court’s 24-year-old. In the eyes of most who know and love the sport, Williams holds her claim to her GOAT status, which has been piled on her during her transcendent winter of running for 23 years. Considering she has won her 73 titles, won 367 major matches, won four Olympic gold medals and redefined what is possible on the tennis court, Williams is the most dominant player to date. There is little dispute that he is regarded as a competitive, physical, athletic, graceful and inspirational player.
Trophies and records aside, the best thing to say about Serena Williams is that she played tennis unlike anyone else, and at the same time, her style is inimitable. Like all legends, she has a peculiarity to her greatness.
Still, she entered this US Open with some uncertainty. Expectations were lower for her than anything else she’s been playing with since she was 16. She said so earlier this week. This was a farewell tour with multiple matches not guaranteed.
But this is Serena.
It didn’t end in one game.
She’s been at the center of the sport once again this week, owning and building on her legend. On Friday night, at his Meadows in Flushing, Williams put on a show that will remain the final image of the maestro’s career. Even if the results weren’t on her side, and even if she didn’t quite dictate how she went out, she chopped her memorable conclusions into a final grand chapter.
There is much to be discovered and gained by losing. With millions around the world watching and enthusiastic crowds in Arthur’s Ashe stadium hanging on her swing, Williams’ play has never been more exciting. Following her two surprising (but not really that amazing) wins in her first two rounds, we all started wondering, if not trying to imagine it. was… Something spectacular could have been made?
it’s not. But something memorable happened anyway. Williams’ career-closing performance was compelling enough to add to her legacy. But she went out with everything she had. It took her three hours and five minutes for Tomljanovic to sweep Williams in this his 142nd US Open. It was the longest US Open match in Williams’ life. fitting.
The final game of her career featured eight deuces and six match points and took 14 minutes to complete. Though she lost 5-1, Williams backed Tomlyanovic several times, tricking her into a net winner and captivating her crowd once again.
But the 29-year-old couldn’t crack it. The drama of tennis is that a swing of the racket decides the match. The match ends when the points go one way. That’s another thing, we don’t know how long the fight will last.Williams and Tomlijanovic made his final 14 minutes feel like he was an hour.
And all too suddenly it was over. Williams’ forehand The melancholy sound of her shot getting caught in the net was like a punch to the gut. that’s all. so. In her 53rd minute of the final set of her career, Williams’ run ended. A unique American sports her star showed off her marathon performance.
Williams (officially ranked 605th on the way to the US Open) took a 5-3 lead over Tomljanovic (ranked 46th) in the first set. At that point, it looked like Williams could do a short job on Friday night to set up Sunday’s Round 4 match that would really build for one of 2022’s biggest sports stories. Over the course of three hours, she tickled the baseline and sidelines by at least 12 points. Williams has maintained her dominant dominance for more than two decades, so much so that she got used to seeing her opponents send her shots long, often to the chagrin of her.
Friday night was the first time the two faced each other. Their one-of-a-kind encounter should go down as his one of the most memorable matches of Williams’ career. Williams obediently had no intention of going out. In an unfamiliar moment of honesty from a professional athlete, Tomljanovic said afterwards that he never expected to win.
“It’s incredible what she’s done for me for the sport of tennis,” Tomljanovic said. I never thought I would have the opportunity to face her in the final match of .This is a surreal moment for me.”
Despite Tomljanovic’s praise of Williams after the game, she remained unfazed for most of the night. Her groundstrokes matched Williams’ authority, and as the New York night wore on, she became more stable and her confidence grew. Williams took a day away from playing the final doubles match of her career alongside her older sister Venus.
This was Williams’ seventh match of the year.
This was really touching.
Tomljanovic flipped the script in the first set, leading from a 5-3 down to a 7-5 win. Williams came out and quickly won the first game of the second set. Then everything started clicking. She was reading Tomljanovic’s angle. The serve was powerful and dependable. Vintage’s powerful two-handed backhand landed on Williams. She was 4-0 on her. She was cruising into the third set.
Until Tomlyanovic screwed it up again. In a 5-2 loss, the marathon game of 9 deuces and 24 points lasted him just over 15 minutes. Tomljanovic won and cut to 5-3. Then it was 5-5. They went to a tiebreak and Williams refused to be swept.It was at this point that the match broke into memorable status. En route to winning the second set in that tiebreak, Williams hit his 117 serve. Miles per hour, the hardest part of her night.
2 hours or more from the start of the game.
All you got, Serena.
In terms of competitiveness, it was everything a tennis fan could have hoped for. Williams was being pushed, but she wasn’t buckling. The match was so great, so engaging and full of drama that Williams could not be blamed for reconsidering her retirement decision in the coming months.
But don’t count on it. It wasn’t the result we were hoping for, but it was as satisfying as the loss. It’s finally time for the next stage. In addition to being a fashion mogul, Williams is first and foremost a loving and devoted mother. In her post-fight press conference, she speculated that she spent all but perhaps a few days of her daughter Alexis’ life with her: a bigger family plan awaits.
Sports endings can bring a bittersweet element to them, but hearing Williams give an impromptu goodbye speech made her wonder why now is the time and who made her a champion to be remembered forever. I have shown the
“Thank you, Dad, I know you’re watching,” Williams said to his father on the mic as he was interviewed on the court after the game.
Her voice started cracking. Some tears appeared.
“It all started with my parents. I’m so grateful to them because they deserve everything,” she said. And without Venus, I wouldn’t be Serena.So thank you, Venus….She is the only reason Serena Williams ever existed.”
The stoic sister finally broke. Cameras soon caught her wiping her tears under the brim of her visor.
America’s great tennis story came to an end on Friday night in Queens. Few sports have the emotional power and irresistible fascination of an aging athlete as he dives into the depths of his athleticism and reclaims his former glory. In his three finals this week, for the first time in years, Serena had his one last chance to see how great his Williams was.
A 40-year-old who fights until the last push of his racket.
There was no other way.
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