Serena’s tears - is it the end of an era for star?

SERENA Williams bade a tearful farewell to the Australian Open amid questions about whether she may have played at the tournament for the last time. Williams gave the crowd inside the Rod Laver Arena a long wave goodbye with her hand on her heart following her 6-3 6-4 semifinal defeat by Naomi Osaka. The gesture prompted speculation about whether the 39-year-old would ever be back competing at Melbourne Park, where she has won the title seven times.

In her post-match press conference, Williams, who had never previously lost a semi-final in Melbourne, responded: “I don’t know. If I ever say farewell, I wouldn’t tell anyone. So…” Williams then became tearful during the next question, a relatively mundane enquiry about her unforced errors during the match, and said: “I don’t know. I’m done,” before leaving the room. Williams once again came up short in her 11th attempt to move level with Margaret Court’s record haul of 24 grand slam singles titles, and it is now a year-and-ahalf since she made a final.