The Serena effect faded tonight at Arthur Ashe Stadium but the legend will live on forever. The American tennis player fell in the third round against the Australian tennis player Ajla Tomljanovic in three epic sets 7-5, 6-7(4) and 6-1.
Of course, Serena Williams said goodbye to the US Open center court fighting for every point until the end in a match that lasted just over three hours. This time her favorite ‘weapon’: a powerful elite service with which her fruitful career has stood out and which has made her worthy of 23 Grand Slam titles, it was not enough. She ran into a rival who was patient and waited from behind to define crucial points.
Serena Williams, who will be 29 this year month, had had a dream week so far. In public she flocked to Queens to see her play in her last big tournament as a professional tennis player. In social networks there was even talk of the “cruelty” of the fans for ignoring the opponents and concentrating all the energy on Serena.
But it was to be expected that the ‘queen of center court’ received all the honors.
The youngest of the Williams clan has left It is clear that she wants to evolve (which has been interpreted as retirement) although she said again: “I don’t know how but to be linked to tennis in some way”.
“Tennis has been part of my life. given me so many opportunities. It means a lot. I don’t see my future without tennis”, she said Serena indicating that she had no words to define her crying at the end of today’s match. “I’m not crying with sadness, but I have no words to explain (what I feel),” he added.
When he broke In tears, the entire stadium was on its feet to send her off through the front door, because although the final score indicated defeat, she no longer had anything to lose.
The ‘queen of the track’ thanked her family, especially her mother and her mother Venus who were present at the stadium.
Her rival tonight He also had words of admiration for the 6-time Us Open winner. “Serena is the greatest tennis player of all time. I knew that even if she was down on the scoreboard she was going to score every point”, said the Australian.
“I never thought I would have the opportunity to face her in her last match when I remember seeing her as a child in all those finals. This is a surreal moment for me”, added Tomljanovic of 29 years, and ranked 46 in the classification.
Meanwhile, the rest of the competition continues its course. In the women’s draw there are still familiar faces such as the Belarusian Victoria Azarenka who this Saturday will try to advance to the quarterfinals against the Czech Petra Kvitova.
We will also see the Swiss Belinda Bencic in action who will face the Czech Karolina Pliskova.
to representatives of the United States, the number seed 19, Danielle Collins, plays on Saturday night at the Arthur Ashe against the French Alizé Cornet.
Collins was the one in charge of dispatching former champion Naomi Osaka in the first round (7-6, 6-3).
In the second round she beat the Spanish Cristina Cristina Bucsa by 6- 2, 7-5.