Serena Williams’ tennis career ends as Ajla Tomljanovic wins three-set epic at US Open

Serena Williams’ illustrious tennis career has come to an end after she loses to Ajla Tomljanovic 7-5 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 in the third round of the US Open.

The 23-time Grand Slam winner was on the brink of retirement in the second set when the pair went to a tie-break, but a resilient Williams – roared on by an electric crowd inside Arthur Ashe Stadium – produced some of her best tennis to force a decider.

However, it was Tomljanovic who showed incredible resolve to win the third set on her sixth match point and book her place in the fourth round for the first time in her career.

After a gruelling three hour match, a tearful Williams said: “I tried but Alja just played a little bit better. Thank you Daddy. I know you’re watching. Thanks Mum.

“I just want to thank everyone that is here that has been on my side so many years, literally decades.

“But it all started with my parents and they deserve everything. I’m really grateful for them. These are happy tears!

“I wouldn’t be Serena if there wasn’t Venus, so thank you Venus. She is the only reason Serena Williams ever existed.

“It’s been a fun ride. It’s been the most incredible ride and journey I’ve ever been on in my life. I’m just so grateful to everyone who has ever said ‘go Serena’ in their life. I’m just so grateful because you got me here.”

When Williams was asked if she would reconsider retirement, she replied: “I don’t think so but you never know. I don’t know.”

Williams left the court with Tina Turner’s ‘Simply the best’ booming around the stadium.

Both players broke the other in their opening service games before Serena seized the initiative with some explosive, attacking tennis.

Williams capitalised on Tomljanovic’s second serve to emphatically break to love in order to serve for the set. However, the nerves appeared to kick in as two unforced errors from the six-time US Open champion allowed Tomljanovic back into the match.

It triggered a momentum shift as Tomljanovic broke the Williams serve with a clean backhand down the line and served out a 49-minute opener.

Williams set the tone in the first game of the second set with some ferocious forehands which saw her stylishly hold serve. The very next game Williams evoked loud cheers from the Arthur Ashe crowd when she broke thanks to a fine backhand volley at the net.

Williams began to overpower her opponent and secured a double break on Tomljanovic’s serve with another devastating crosscourt backhand volley at the net to go 4-0 up.

Tomljanovic pulled a break back and after rescuing four break points to make it 5-3, a double fault from Serena on break point in the very next game got the Australian back on serve.

With the crowd getting increasingly louder, Williams and Tomljanovic starting striking the ball with greater ferocity and the two battled to a tie-break.

A miscontrolled backhand from Tomljanovic handed Williams a mini-break to go 2-1 up, but she broke back to make it 4-4.

Serena’s fastest serve of the night made it 5-4 before a vicious forehand winner down the line after an epic rally put her 6-4 up, leaving Tomljanovic despondant on the other side of the net. Serena forced the decider when Tomljanovic fired long.

In the first game of the third set Williams broke Tomljanovic’s serve after she whipped a forehand out, but just like the opening set the world No. 45 levelled to make it one apiece.

Tomljanovic then subdued the crowd by breaking the Williams serve at the fourth time of asking as Williams volleyed long to move into a 3-1 lead.

After consolidating her break with a comfortable hold, Tomljanovic sealed the double break after another Williams unforced error.

The crowd gave Williams a standing ovation at 5-1 down with Tomljanovic serving for the match. Williams somehow rescued five match points, but on the sixth a forehand into the net would be Serena’s last on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.

Tomljanovic will play Russia’s Ludmilla Samsonova next.

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