Serena Williams is eliminated from the US Open, ending her career. She takes records and trophies with her. What is more important, however, is what she leaves behind: in tennis, many things are now normal that were unthinkable before her.
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Jurgen Schmieder, New York
So that’s it, and to be honest, could there be a more incongruous picture of Serena Williams’ retirement than this after her second-round loss to Ajla Tomljanovic? There are many photos of Williams that are symbolic of this unique career that has made her one of the best athletes in history across sports and gender boundaries: The young woman with pearls in her hair. The title collector. The fighter who whips herself relentlessly.