The signs pointed to one of the greatest players of all time slipping quietly into retirement without the farewell she deserves.
But on Tuesday, Serena Williams made her return to the tennis court - almost exactly a year since her last competitive match and just weeks after many had predicted the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion would never play again.
At Eastbourne's Devonshire Park, usually the hub of the sleepy Sussex seaside town's cultural scene and home to a number of theatres, Williams took centre stage.
The 40-year-old American teamed up with Tunisia's Ons Jabeur - who is third in the WTA's singles world rankings - in the Eastbourne doubles and the pair won their opening match in an entertaining evening.