NEW YORK -- Leave it to Serena Williams to not want to go quietly, to not want this match, this trip to the U.S. Open, this transcendent career of hers, to really, truly end.
Right down to what were, barring a change of heart, the final minutes of her quarter-century of excellence on the tennis court, and an unbending unwillingness to be told what wasn't possible, Williams tried to mount one last classic comeback, earn one last vintage victory, with fans on their feet in a full Arthur Ashe Stadium, cellphone cameras at the ready.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion staved off five match points to prolong the three-hours-plus proceedings, but could not do more, and was eliminated from the U.S. Open in the third round by Ajla Tomljanovic 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-1 on Friday night in what is expected to be her final contest.
"It's been the most incredible ride and journey I've ever been on in my life," Williams said, tears streaming down her cheeks shortly after one final shot of hers landed in the net. "I'm so grateful to every single person that's ever said, 'Go, Serena!' in their life."
She turns 41 this month and recently told the world that she is ready to start "evolving" away from her playing days — she expressed distaste for the word "retirement" — and while she remained purposely vague about whether this appearance at Flushing Meadows definitely would represent her last hurrah, everyone assumed it will be.
Asked during an on-court interview whether she might reconsider walking away, Williams replied: "I don't think so, but you never know."
With two victories in singles this week, including over the No. 2 player in the world, Anett Kontaveit, on Wednesday, Williams took her fans on a thrill-a-minute throwback trip at the hard-court tournament that was the site of a half-dozen of her championships.
The first came in 1999 in New York, when Williams was just 17. Now she's married and a mother; her daughter, Olympia, turned 5 on Thursday.
But even with 23,859 of her closest friends cheering raucously again on Friday, Williams faltered against Tomljanovic, a 29-year-old Australian who is ranked 46th.
Williams gave away leads in each set, including the last, in which she was up 1-0 before dropping the final six games.
Tomljanovic is unabashedly a fan of Williams, having growing up watching her play on TV.
"I'm feeling really sorry, just because I love Serena just as much as you guys do. And what she's done for me, for the sport of tennis, is incredible," said Tomljanovic, who has never been past the quarterfinals at any major. "This is a surreal moment for me."
Then, drawing laughs, Tomljanovic added: "I just thought she would beat me. ... She's Serena. That's that's just who she is: She's the greatest of all time. Period."
This performance was not perfect.
On one point in the second set, Williams' feet got tangled and she fell to the court, dropping her racket. She finished with 51 unforced errors, 21 more than Tomljanovic.
Williams let a 5-3 lead vanish in the first set. She did something similar in the second, giving away edges of 4-0 and 5-2, and requiring five set points to finally put that one in her pocket. From 4-all in the tiebreaker, meaning Williams was three points from defeat, she pounded a 117 mph ace, hit a forehand winner to cap a 20-stroke exchange, then watched Tomljanovic push a forehand long.
Momentum appeared to be on Williams' side. But she could not pull off the sort of never-admit-defeat triumph she did so often over the years.
"Oh, my God, thank you so much. You guys were amazing today. I tried," Williams told the audience, hands on her hips, before mentioning, among others, her parents and her older sister, Venus, a seven-time major champion.
"I wouldn't be Serena if there wasn't Venus. So thank you, Venus," she said. "She's the only reason that Serena Williams ever existed."
Williams entered the night having won 19 times in a row in the U.S. Open's third round of singles competition, including reaching at least the semifinals in her most recent 11 appearances in New York.
Talk about a full-circle moment: The only other third-round loss she's ever had at Flushing Meadows (she is 42-0 in the first and second rounds) came all the way back in 1998, the year Williams made her tournament debut at age 16. She would win her first major trophy 12 months later at the U.S. Open.
"I just didn't want her to stop": Serena thrills fans in match they'll never forget
It was one thing to watch what may have been Serena Williams' last match on TV but quite another seeing it in person.
As CBS2's Jenna DeAngelis reports, fans were on the edge of their seats the entire night, and although she didn't win, Williams proved once again, she's a fighter until the end.
It was not the ending fans hoped for, but for many inside and outside Arthur Ashe Stadium, it was a night they will never forget. Those who couldn't be up close and in the stadium crowded around the huge screen outside. People of all ages were present to witness what could be her final tournament. Some were overwhelmed with emotions as they talked about Williams' impact, calling her the greatest of all time.
"Oh my gosh. I gotta tell you, I just didn't want her to stop," one fan said. "She never quits. The best thing about this match was it didn't matter what happened, she just kept fighting all the way to the end. That's what she does."
"She made tennis exciting for so many people. For so many girls, for so many people of color," another fan said.
"It was electrifying. Serena was playing amazing, and it's just sad to see her go," another fan said.
"It's incredible. I'm sad. I'm inspired. He plays tennis and he's inspired as well," said one father who was there with his son.
"It's a great feeling to see her, to have succeeded so much in this sport and to have transcended the sport, as well," one fan said. "This is not a loss, from my perspective. I think it's an opportunity for her to say goodbye to her fans."
A lot of fans were sad leaving the stadium, hoping for a different outcome, but proud of Williams and looking forward to whatever she does next.
Serena forces third set vs Tomljanovic
Serena Williams has pushed her third-round match to a third set.
Williams needed a tiebreaker that she finally won 7-4 on her fifth set point. She and Ajla Tomljanovic will start the decisive set having played more than 2 hours, 15 minutes.
Williams bounced back from her disappointing end to the first set, winning the first four games of the second and racing to a 5-2 lead. But Tomljanovic erased that, just as she erased a 5-3 deficit in the first set, which she won 7-5.
In what could be the final tournament of her career, Williams will need to win a three-setter for the second straight match. She went the distance to eliminate No. 2 seed Anett Kontaveit on Wednesday.
Serena Williams center stage again for third-round singles match
Serena Williams was center stage again Friday night at the US Open, playing her third-round singles match.
As CBS2's Jenna DeAngelis reports, support for Williams stretched all the way around Arthur Ashe Stadium from fans who couldn't wait to get close to the action.
Two fans came all the way from San Francisco to watch Williams in what could be her final tournament.
"I saw her on Wednesday. It was amazing," Mark Marino said.
"We got Friday night tickets months ago," another fan said.
Some are sparing no expense. According to ticket resale company StubHub, in the last 24 hours, sales have doubled for Friday night's session.
A spike in prices was echoed by a spokesperson with TickPick, who said the get-in price to attend the match went up to $476 and the cheapest lower-level ticket was going for over $4,000.
"They're worth her, OK, but they're just above for what I can do," said Jocelyn Culver, from Virginia.
Culver says seeing Williams play in person this week had her speechless.
"She's such an amazing player. She's paved the way for so many women to come behind her, especially women of color, so it's just amazing to be able to be in this space with her," Culver said.
And she's proving she still has it at nearly 41 years old.
"It really goes to show you that if you really work hard and really keep at it, age is just a number," Great Neck resident Rachel Feintuch said.
Inspiring fans of all ages, watching history unfold.
"I think she's a really good player, and she's really confident," said Maliya Abudl-Ali, from Milford, Connecticut.
"Truly an inspiration for young girls and for Black Americans as well," said Tariq Abudl-Qaadir, a grandfather from Springfield, Massachusetts.
"I think she's amazing," Los Angeles resident Isabelle Nguyen said.
"She's had a great run. She's left an amazing legacy behind," Queens resident Ann-Marie Francis said.
Serena loses first set vs Tomljanovic
Serena Williams has lost the first set of her third-round match against Ajla Tomljanovic.
Williams had a 5-3 lead and was serving to win the set. But Tomljanovic broke her serve to start a run of four straight games that allowed the Australian to take it 7-5.
Williams had to go three sets to beat No. 1 Anett Kontaveit in the second round.
Serena back on court in bid for 4th round
Serena Williams has begun her bid to become the oldest woman to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament in the professional era.
It's the third night match of the week for the 23-time Grand Slam champion, who is preparing to end her tennis career.
With a win over Australian Ajla Tomljanovic, Williams will keep it going until at least Sunday.
Williams will turn 41 later this month. Three women since 1968 were older when they reached the third round of a major, but none advanced.
"Truly an inspiration": Fans eager to see Serena play in person
While this could be the last time fans may watch Serena Williams play, one thing is for sure -- her legacy will live on.
So many CBS2's Jenna DeAngelis spoke with, especially the young fans, say she's an inspiration.
"I think she's a really good player, and she's really confident," said Maliya Abudl-Ali, from Milford, Connecticut.
"Truly an inspiration for young girls and for Black Americans as well," said Tariq Abudl-Qaadir, a grandfather from Springfield, Massachusetts.
"It means a lot because I always wanted to come and watch professional players. They're my inspiration to play," Los Angeles resident Isabelle Ngyen said.
"I'm so happy to be here at such a special time," one Great Neck resident said.
The match begins at 7 p.m., and those who have tickets to see it in person will be watching history unfold.
Fans shelling out big bucks to see Serena
We're just a few hours away from Serena Williams playing round three in the women's singles at the US Open, and as CBS2's Jenna DeAngelis reports, it's an experience that has some fans shelling out the big bucks.
According to ticket resale company StubHub, overall US Open sales have increased by more than 20% since Serena's win on Wednesday.
In the last 24 hours, sales have doubled for Friday night's session.
A spokesperson with TickPick said the current "get-in" price to attend Friday's match is $476. The cheapest lower level ticket is currently over $4,000.
One woman here from Virginia was able to see Serena play this week but won't be there for round three with prices so high.
"They're worth her, OK, but they're just above for what I can do," Jocelyn Culver said. "At the end of the day, she's such an amazing player. She's paved the way for so many women to come behind her, especially women of color, so it's just amazing to be able to be in this space with her."
Michael Glover and Mark Marino, of San Francisco, say they bought their Friday night tickets months ago, and they're feeling confident Serena will manage another win.
The match, which begins at 7 p.m., is bound to have spectators on the edge of their seats.
Serena, Venus Williams lose in 1st round of US Open doubles
Serena and Venus Williams lost in the first round of doubles at the U.S. Open to the Czech pair of Lucie Hradecka and Linda Noskova 7-6 (5), 6-4 in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday night.