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Serena Williams, 39, won her last major in 2017 at Melbourne Park before taking a break from the sport to give birth.
Serena Williams collapsed and interrupted her post-match press conference after her 6-3, 6-4 loss to Naomi Osaka in the Australian Open semifinals that ended her bid for a record 24 Grand Slam.
Williams won her last major title in 2017 at Melbourne Park before taking a break from the sport to give birth to daughter Alexis Olympia, and has lost four major finals since returning in 2018.
The 39-year-old, who is one Grand Slam title below Margaret Court’s record, left Rod Laver Arena to receive a standing ovation on Thursday, pausing for a moment to put her hand on her heart and greet the crowd.
Japan’s Naomi Osaka (left) gives Serena Williams of the United States a hug after her women’s singles semifinal match on Day 11 of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on February 18, 2021. [William West/AFP]
When asked by reporters if her departure from court was a final farewell from Melbourne Park, she said with a smile: “If I ever say goodbye, I would not tell anyone.”
But the smile soon faded, and a question about whether her loss to Osaka was just a “bad day at the office” saw her take a sip of water before drowning.
“I don’t know. I’m done,” she said, leaving the room in tears.
Serena crying 💔after the media keeps asking her about retirement pic.twitter.com/htjHEL5yoG
– BlackCultureEntertainment🗣 (@ 4TheCulture ____) February 18, 2021
Williams had looked her best in years at the tournament, but 24 unforced errors cost her against Osaka, who also beat her in the 2018 US Open final.
Mats Wilander, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, said Williams’ tears were due to her disappointment in the way she played and not a sign that she was making her last appearance at Melbourne Park.
“Do not [it’s not the end for Serena]. I think we see those tears because I think she was disappointed in the way she played, “said Wilander, a three-time winner at Melbourne Park.
“For her this is a bigger loss, because she’s moving better, she’s playing better and she’s not really close to Osaka yet and I feel like that’s where the emotions start. You’re probably thinking, ‘What do I have to do now?’ “
Eight-time champion Novak Djokovic, who beat Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev on Thursday to reach his ninth Australian Open final, also commented on Williams’ emotional departure.
“I can feel empathy for Serena and what she’s going through,” he said. “She is an incredible champion who inspires both male and female athletes around the world in what she’s been doing, I mean, she’s still doing it at her age, it’s extraordinary.”
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