Serena Williams beaten at the US Open, her career over?

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 02: Serena Williams of the United States thanks the fans after being defeated by Ajla Tomlijanovic of Australia during their Women's Singles Third Round match on Day Five of the 2022 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 02, 2022 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by MATTHEW STOCKMAN/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP)
MATTHEW STOCKMAN/Getty Images via AFP NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 02: Serena Williams of the United States thanks the fans after being defeated by Ajla Tomlijanovic of Australia during their Women’s Singles Third Round match on Day Five of the 2022 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 02, 2022 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by MATTHEW STOCKMAN/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP)

MATTHEW STOCKMAN/Getty Images via AFP

Serena Williams undoubtedly played on Friday September 2 the last match of her immense career.

TENNIS – She refuses the expression retirement and she has still not made it official that it was over. But losing in the night from Friday to Saturday in the third round of the US Open, Serena Williams has undoubtedly played the last match of her career. The former world number 1, winner of 23 Grand Slam titles (the first in 1999) was beaten by Australian Ajla Tomljanovic (46th in the world) 7-5, 6-7 (4/7), 6-1.

In early August, the legend of the yellow ball announced that she would stop playing very soon, but without specifying where or when. After her defeat, she said she did not intend to reverse this decision “but you never know”.

If, in tears, Serena Williams (41) hinted that she could one day take up the racket, the American stars did not wait to pay tribute to her. From Oprah Winfrey to LeBron James to Michelle Obama, celebrities have hailed one of the greatest players of all time and a role model for an entire generation of women.

“It was an incredible journey”launched the interested party, moved, a few days before his 41st birthday. “Thank you dad, I know you’re watching, thank you mom (who was present in the stands), thank you to all the people who have supported me all this time, my God it’s been decades”she said, before completely bursting into tears, referring to her older sister: “I wouldn’t be Serena if it wasn’t for Venus, so thank you Venus”.

A seven-time Grand Slam winner, her sister actually paved the way for her. But Serena Williams’ career quickly overtook him. World number one for a total of 319 weeks, or more than six years (the first time on July 8, 2002, the last time the week of May 8, 2017), the American star finished one length behind the record for Grand Slam titles held by Australian Margaret Court (24). She also won four Olympic gold medals.

But it is also her commitment off the court (for the rights of women or those of black people) that has made Serena Williams a unique personality in the world of sport.

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