As she made her way off court Thursday at Rod Laver Arena, Serena Williams stopped for a moment as the recently returned crowd stood and showered her with applause. She raised her left arm to wave before moving her hand over her heart, as if to let them know the feeling was mutual. She paused for a moment, soaked in the ovation like the Melbourne late-summer sunshine, and waved again before disappearing into the tunnel.
Her run at the 2021 Australian Open was over, ended in straight sets in the semifinals by her heir apparent Naomi Osaka.