Tomljanovic ends Williams' US Open dream

1 year ago 112

Serena Williams mislaid what is expected to beryllium the past lucifer of her transcendent tennis career, eliminated from the U.S. Open successful the 3rd circular by Ajla Tomljanovic 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-1 earlier an electrical assemblage astatine Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Unwilling to spell quietly, Williams staved disconnected 5 lucifer points to prolong the three-hours-plus proceedings, arsenic immoderate spectators stood to watch, camera phones astatine the ready. No 1 — save, of course, Tomljanovic — wanted this to end.

Williams' US Open fairytale ends

"It's been a amusive ride," an affectional Williams said successful her post-match interrogation on-court.

It did connected Tomljanovic's sixth chance, erstwhile Williams netted a shot.

Williams turns 41 this period and precocious told the satellite that she is acceptable to commencement "evolving" distant from her playing days — she expressed distaste for the connection "retirement" — and portion she has remained purposely vague astir whether this quality astatine Flushing Meadows decidedly would correspond her last tournament, everyone assumes it volition be.

If this was, indeed, the past hurrah, she took her fans connected a thrill-a-minute throwback thrust astatine the hard-court tourney that was the tract of a half-dozen of her 23 Grand Slam championships. The archetypal came successful 1999 successful New York, erstwhile Williams was conscionable 17.

But she faltered against Tomljanovic, a 29-year-old Australian who is ranked 46th. Williams gave distant leads successful each set, including the last, successful which she was up 1-0 earlier dropping the last six games.

Serena wows crowd with winner

Breaking down successful tears during her connected tribunal interview, the tennis fable paid tribute to her family, astir notably her parents and her sister Venus.

"I tried but Ajla conscionable played a small spot better.

"Thank you daddy, I cognize you're watching. Thanks mum. ... I'm truly grateful for them.

"(Thanks to) everyone that's been connected my broadside (for) decades, virtually decades.

"It each started with my parents (mother Oracine Price and begetter Richard Williams) and they merit everything.

"These are blessed tears, I guess.

" I wouldn't beryllium Serena if determination wasn't Venus, truthful convey you Venus. She's the lone crushed Serena Williams ever existed.

"Everyone that's here, who's been connected my broadside for truthful galore years.

"It's been a amusive thrust and the astir unthinkable travel I've ever been on."

Tomljanovic besides seemed affectional erstwhile asked what it meant to person her sanction etched successful past arsenic the past idiosyncratic to ever play Williams successful a nonrecreational match.

"I'm feeling truly sorry. What she's done for maine for the athletics is conscionable incredible.

"This is simply a surreal infinitesimal for me.

"I conscionable thought she would bushed me. The unit wasn't connected me.

"She's Serena. She's the top of each time. Period."

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