Celebrities packed the house at Arther Ashe Stadium (Flushing, NY) on Wednesday night to witness what could be the last singles match in the remarkable career of Serena Williams.
Well, what they saw was a vintage Serena Williams performance to extend the tennis legend’s farewell tour.
Williams took down No. 2-seeded Anett Kontaveit — 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-2 — to advance to the third round of the US Open.
The final set was eye-opening domination for Williams, and here’s a look at the match-winning point:
Asked post-match if she was surprised by her performance, Williams said, “I mean… I’m just Serena.”
The atmosphere was absolutely electric at a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium, with Tiger Woods among the enthralled fans in attendance.
With the victory, Williams will face Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round on Friday night.
While the focus has been on each match potentially being Williams’ last, perhaps she could even make a run at what would be her 24th Grand Slam singles title. If Williams keeps playing like she did on Wednesday night, she’ll certainly have a chance. And there’s no doubt she’ll have the crowd on her side for each and every point.
Here’s a look at how the sports world is reacting to Williams putting off retirement with a fantastic performance in the US Open:
This is my one time. Please let Serena walk her career off with a US Open Championship. https://t.co/ymRUJ4ivbW
— Austin Mock (@amock419) September 1, 2022