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- BBC News World
Updated 7 hours
image source, Archyde.com
American tennis player Serena Williams said goodbye to the US Open and, perhaps, to her illustrious career, with an emotional speech following losing to Australian Ajla Tomljanovic in New York on Friday.
Williams, who turns 41 this month, said a few days ago in an interview with Vogue magazine that probably will retire following the tournamentalthough it left an open door to continue.
If you withdraw, it will end a professional career of 27 years in which he achieved 23 individual victories del Grand Slam -a record in the Open Era- and being considered by many as the best tennis player of all time.
Williams lost to Ajla Tomljanovic 7-5 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 in the third round of the tournament.
The former world number one saved five match points in what would end up being the final game of the match.
The crowd rose to their feet at the end of the match at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where Williams He has achieved 6 US Open throughout his career.
image source, Getty Images
As he waved goodbye and did his signature spin, the Tina Turner classic Simply The Best played in the stadium.
As he waved goodbye and took his signature turn, the Tina Turner classic played. Simply The Best in the stadium.
“Happiness tears”
Asked if he would reconsider retiring following this US Open, Williams said: “I’m literally working my way through this and getting better. I should have started earlier this year. I don’t think so, but you never know.”
Tears streamed down Williams’ face – which she described as “joyful” – as she was interviewed following the game, thanking her family, team, crowd and fans around the world for their support over the years.
“I appreciate everyone here, who has been by my side for so many years, decades. Oh my gosh, literally decades,” said Williams, who played his first professional tournament as a 14-year-old in 1995.
“But it all started with my parents. And they deserve it all. So I’m very thankful for them.”
image source, Getty Images
“And it wouldn’t be Serena if Venus didn’t exist [la hermana]so thank you, Venus. She is the only reason Serena Williams existed.”
Tomljanovic, who advances to the fourth round once morest Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova, stepped to the side and applauded her opponent as she spoke into the microphone.
Williams announced her retirement in an article for fashion magazine Vogue a few weeks ago.
Although the former world number one did not use the word retired and preferred to say that she was “walking away” from the sport.
If Williams does not play another tournament, she will retire with 73 career titles, the fifth best record in the history of women’s tennis in the Open Era, in which she holds the record of 23 Grand Slam tournaments, one less than the historical record of Margaret Court.
Court achieved hers at a time when fewer players traveled to the Australian Open, where she, an Australian by origin, won 11 titles.
Court and Williams are followed with 22 Grand Slam tournaments by Germany’s Steffi Graf and Spain’s Rafael Nadal.
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