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One last photo from courtside of arguably the best ever to do it. Serena Williams has played her last match as a tennis professional and from the moment the final point was won by Ajla Tomljanovic the outpouring of love flooded in.
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“Her incredible career made its mark on tennis history. And yet her greatest contributions may be yet to come,” said King, the former world number one and co-creator of the Women’s Tennis Association, on Twitter.<\/p>\n
“Thank you, Serena. Your journey continues.”<\/p>\n
Williams’\u00a0third-round defeat by Tomljanovic\u00a0– an extraordinary three hours befitting of the 40-year-old’s final bow – brings down the curtain on a 27-year professional career that yielded 23 major singles wins.<\/p>\n
She has been an inspiration to many since she won her first Grand Slam singles title at the 1999 US Open, beating then-world number one Martina Hingis to become the second African-American woman, after Althea Gibson in 1958, to win a major singles tournament.<\/p>\n
Back then, fellow American\u00a0Coco Gauff\u00a0was still six years from being born but Williams soon became an idol for the now 18-year-old, who is into the US Open fourth round for the first time.<\/p>\n
“It is because of you I believe in this dream. The impact you’ve had on me goes beyond any words that can be put together and for that I say thank you, thank you, thank you, GOAT!”<\/p>\n
The farewell began at the beginning of the week when A-listers and Serena’s friends and family packed the Arthur Ashe Stadium for her first-round match, ready to witness her final bow.<\/p>\n
And they returned for two more singles matches – as well as one doubles where she teamed up alongside sister Venus – as Williams showed her incredible fighting spirit to reach the third round and even had fans contemplating the possibility of an unlikely fairytale run to one last title.<\/p>\n
Those watching her – and the video montages celebrating her before each match – in the stadium this week included some of the greats of the fashion, sports and Hollywood worlds, demonstrating how the American has transcended tennis in so many ways.<\/p>\n
The tributes flooded in from far beyond the tennis sphere, with former United States First Lady\u00a0Michelle Obama\u00a0saying: “How lucky were we to be able to watch a young girl from Compton grow up to become one of the greatest athletes of all time.<\/p>\n
“I’m proud of you, my friend – and I can’t wait to see the lives you continue to transform with your talents.”<\/p>\n
Source: BBC<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Featured Video\n<\/p>\n\n
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