The entire tennis community was tuning into what ultimately ended up being the final match of the historic career of Serena Williams on Friday night. But she didn’t go down without a fight.
After toppling the No. 2 seed Ajla Tomljanovic on Wednesday and losing in tandem with her sister Venus on Thursday, Williams was back on the court once again on Friday.
In what was an extremely competitive match in the third round of the U.S. Open Women’s Singles, Williams was faced off against the Croatian-Australian Ajla Tomljanovic at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The night started off with the 40-year-old tennis superstar falling behind after losing the first set 5-7. Williams managed to stay alive in the second set, winning 7-6. This set up a nerve-wracking third and final showdown between the competitive contenders.
Cheers roared all night at Arthur Ashe Stadium, but as the final points drew near, you could hear a pin drop as spectators held their excitement in awe. Only this didn’t just happen once or twice. Instead, we got five match points before Tomljanovic finished Williams off in the sixth and final match point.
With Williams announcing her plans to retire as she focuses on spending time with her family, everyone hoping for a chance to see the tennis superstar in action one more time sprang into action. This heightened sense of urgency sent ticket prices through the roof, with even nosebleed seats reaching $450.
With the match lasting over three hours, it’s the longest event Williams has ever played in at the U.S. Open. It’s safe to say everyone in attendance, no matter the cost, got their money’s worth.
Related: Williams sisters eliminated in Round 1 doubles match at U.S. Open
What’s next for Serena Williams?
As Serena Williams mentioned in her retirement announcement, she plans on stepping away from the game to focus on family time. Her sister, Venus, will continue on, and we’ll likely see Serena continue to cheer on her older sister from the sidelines, but we may never see her return with a racket in her hand.
Instead, we’ll have to look back and remember all the great moments her legendary career provided tennis fans since turning pro in 1995. And there were a lot of them.
The hope remains for a potential return, as Williams herself admitted, “I don’t think so, you never know.” when asked if there was a chance she’d reconsider her retirement decision. Either way, return or retirement, she’s the greatest to ever do it.
Related: Serena Williams retirement: Historical accomplishments, net worth and lasting legacy