The marked disappointment of the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, when Serena Williams hit her final forehand into the net, did not linger for long.
A rousing acclamation soon rang around the stadium for a woman who extended Ajla Tomljanovic into a fourth hour in their US Open third round match, and whose brilliance spanned more than a quarter of a century.
She and her sister Venus changed the game, and the approach to life of many - whether they had been dreaming of a pro tennis career or simply a better, fairer future for themselves and their family.