Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey and LeBron James are among the stars to pay tribute to Serena Williams after losing what could be her last game at the US Open.
Williams, 40, had said he was going to do it “Evolve away from tennis” and “raise his family” first losing to Ajla Tomljanovic Friday in New York.
After an emotional commiseration speech, in which she paid tribute to her parents and sister Venus, celebrities and other sports stars thanked her for her outstanding contribution to tennis.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama tweeted: “Congratulations on an amazing career @SerenaWilliams!
“How lucky we were to be able to see a young girl from Compton grow up to be one of the greatest athletes of all time.
“I’m proud of you, my friend – and can’t wait to see the lives you keep transforming with your talents.”
Talk show host Oprah Winfrey described her as a “heroine” and a “legend forever”, while former world number one Billie-Jean King said her career has “left its mark on the history of the world. tennis”.
Basketball legend LeBron James uploaded a video to social media, in which he labeled her a “goat”, which stands for “the greatest of all time”.
“You’re a goat,” he said. “For what you have done for sport, for tennis, for women and just for the sport category, the period is simply unprecedented.
“It was an honor to watch your journey.”
Fellow tennis player Ons Jabeur, who made history as the first Arab woman to reach a quarter-final in a major tournament, simply tweeted: “Thank you Serena.”
US Olympic gymnast Simone Biles said: “Thank you @serenawilliams.
“For transcending the sport for black athletes, female athletes and every athlete. It is a real pleasure to watch, thank you for being an inspiration.”
The official Wimbledon Twitter account posted: “A legacy defined not just by numbers, but by the generations it has inspired. Thank you, Serena, for making so many people fall in love with our sport.”
Image: AP
The final matches attracted a starred audience
While waiting for this to be her last tournament, famous faces turned up to watch Williams at this year’s US Open.
Former President Bill Clinton, director Spike Lee, and boxing champion Mike Tyson were among those at his opening match.
On Friday night it was beaten 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-1 by Tomljanovic, currently in 46th place in the world.
The loss deprived her of her 24th record-breaking Grand Slam single title.
Former President Bill Clinton watches Williams on August 29. Image: AP
Williams, who played her first professional tennis match in 1995 at the age of 14, calmly went to the net after the game, waving to all sides of the stadium as Tina Turner’s hit Simply The Best played over the speakers. .
In his speech, he said, “Thank you dad, I know you’re watching. Thank you mom.
“I just thank everyone who is here, who has been on my side for so many years, literally decades.
“But it all started with my parents and they deserve it all, so I’m really grateful for them.
“And I wouldn’t be Serena if there wasn’t Venus, so thank you Venus. It’s the only reason Serena Williams ever existed.”
