NEW YORK: It was a tumultuous outcome on Friday in what was her last competitive outing. Serena took decisive leads in the first two sets - 5-3 and 4-0 - before going down in the decider to heavy-striking Aussie Ajla Tomljanovic 5-7, 7-6 (4), 1-6 in 3-hours and 5-minutes. It was the longest match she has played at Flushing Meadows, but the deeper the exchange stretched her chances of closing out diminished.
Serena, who had 11 aces and 49 winners in the match, was range and resolve for most part, saving five match-points before her forehand found the net at the sixth chance of calling for Tomljanovic.
