Serena Williams is out of the Wimbledon singles draw, having lost her first match in nearly four years in this format earlier tonight.
Facing Maya Joint, many argued that the 23-time Grand Slam champion could seldom have had a better opportunity to score a win on her return.
However, despite a spirited comeback after falling a set behind, the American seemingly ran out of steam in a third set where she was actually the first to break.
Serena Williams was met with rapturous applause as she exited Centre Court, whilst Joint approached the microphone to try and sum up what had just happened, surely the greatest moment of her career thus far.
Maya Joint’s immediate reaction after beating Serena Williams at Wimbledon
Initially asked to sum up her emotions, the Aussie was unsurprisingly stunned.
“I don’t know what to say right now,” she began. “I don’t know what just happened to be honest.
What did you make of Serena Williams’ level on her return to singles?
Serena Williams is OUT of the Wimbledon singles event…
“I did not get much sleep last night. I was up until 2 am thinking about it. I forgot the warm-up; my legs weren’t moving. I don’t know how I got a pretty good start to the match. She is such a legend; she has such aura, and this court has so many huge names who have played on it. I have been dreaming about this moment since I was a little kid, so this is pretty crazy.”
Then moving on to the toughest part of it all, Joint admitted: “I think the start was very nerve-wracking and then finishing out the match as well. She definitely lifted her level, and she played some really great tennis there.”
Before tonight’s match, the 20-year-old was enduring a 11-match losing streak, hence why many were confident for Serena. However, she summoned so much courage and quality when it really mattered, and tried to explain where such a performance came from.
Joint claimed: “I mean my last couple of matches have been pretty good. I thought I was playing pretty well and getting pretty competitive.
“Even though I did not win many matches this year, I felt I could win, and had the belief. I just took advantage of the moment and just enjoyed it. I did not really think about the previous matches I have played.”
She finished with a word for her box, where Sam Stosur – who beat Williams in the 2011 US Open final – was sitting.
She said: “They pull me through everything. The box is full. Thanks for coming and sticking with me the whole time. They pulled me through this match and all the matches I have ever played in my career. Thank you, guys for everything.”
Joint admitted she was excited at the prospect of playing Serena, but hugely nervous beforehand. Such a win could prove to be a catalyst that reignites her career.
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Whilst it was crushing to see the 44-year-old exit the Wimbledon singles draw in such dramatic fashion, this is not the last we will see of her, at least for this year.
After all, she was also awarded a wildcard into the ladies’ doubles as well as the singles, set to partner her legendary sister Venus Williams.
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Their campaign gets underway on Thursday, giving Serena plenty of time to rest after this gruelling encounter.
Together, these two have won 14 Grand Slam titles and three Olympic gold medals. On Thursday, they will boast a combined age of 90.
