Serena Williams didn’t pull off a miracle in her final act, but she found out she was “still Serena”

Tennis Channel Live: Saying goodbye to a legend

NEW YORK—“I always believed I can beat the best, be the best, achieve the best,” a 17-year-old Serena Williams said in 1999. “I’ve never had a problem with not believing in myself.”

That same day, a few hours earlier, Williams had beaten one of the best that ever played, Steffi Graf, in the final of Indian Wells. For years, Richard Williams had been insisting, to the general disbelief of the tennis world, that his younger daughter was the one to watch out for in the family. This was the day we found out that he wasn’t just blowing smoke, that it wasn’t just Richard being Richard. He had been right all along: Serena was going to be the best.

That win over Graf was Serena’s first signature moment. Twenty-three years and 23 Grand Slam titles later, she had what will (likely) be her last. It wasn’t, technically, a win. Serena lost in the third round of the US Open to Ajla Tomljanovic, 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-1. She didn’t go out with a miracle run to No. 24, but Serena has never been about miracles, or achieving anything you didn’t already know you could achieve. She has always been about turning your rock-solid beliefs, and your knowledge of yourself, into a reality that everyone can see.

She knew she was almost 41. She knew she had probably started this comeback too late to produce another major title. But she also knew, even at this late date in her career, that she was still good enough to put up a serious fight with women nearly two decades younger than she is. In her 367th and (likely) final win at a major—only Roger Federer has more, with 369—she beat the second-ranked player in the world, Anett Kontaveit, over three intensely contested sets. That feeling of rising to the occasion and the competition, of finding out that her highest level of play was still inside her—that she was still Serena—is what she says she’ll take away from her 2022 comeback.

“What I’ll remember most is that my level was coming back,” Serena said on Friday night. “I think I’m really grateful for that. It’s great to be playing at such a high level, somehow improving. I don’t know how at my age.”

Serena saved her best for her final act, the 15-minute tug-of-war game that closed out her loss to Tomljanovic. She was down 1-5 in the third set, and by then it seemed clear that her comeback wouldn’t have a miracle ending. But that didn’t stop her from giving us one last glimpse of the best at her best. She saved five match points. She refused to miss. She came up with so many brilliant last-ditch shots that all Tomljanovic could do was stare across the net and throw up her hand in exasperation. “Unreal,” she seemed to be saying, along with everyone else in Ashe.

By beating the No. 2 player in the world, Serena defined herself as a winner to the end. By going down swinging, and saving five match points against Tomljanovic, she defined herself as a competitor to the end.

Finally, after 15 of the most tumultuous minutes Arthur Ashe Stadium has seen, Serena did miss. She missed a relatively simple forehand that all of us thought she would make. She missed because everyone misses, and because every career ends. She missed knowing that no one had done it better, for longer, than her.

By beating the No. 2 player in the world, Serena defined herself as a winner to the end. By going down swinging, and saving five match points against Tomljanovic, she defined herself as a competitor to the end.

“There’s so many things to be remembered by,” she said in the concluding moments of what will (likely) be her final press conference. “Like the fight. I’m such a fighter. I feel like I really brought something, and bring something, to tennis. The different looks, the fist pumps, the just crazy intensity. I think that obviously passion, I think, is a really good word.

“Just continuing through ups and downs, I could go on and on. But I just honestly am so grateful that I had this moment and that I’m Serena, so…”

Serena had many of those ups and downs on this court. But she put them behind her and continued on, and when she left it she was flashing the heart sign to 23,000 people, and getting the same back from them.

“Even in defeat, Serena’s legend grows,” Patrick McEnroe said in the ESPN commentary booth.

Serena didn’t perform a miracle, but she found out she was still Serena. That was enough for her. Judging by the love the crowd showed her all week, it was enough for us, too.