Serena Williams' dreams of a fairytale finish to her glittering career were left in ruins on Friday as the tennis icon was sent crashing out of the US Open by Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic. The 40-year-old Williams -- who last month signalled she planned to retire after the Open -- was beaten 7-5, 6-7 (4/7) 6-1 by Tomljanovic in a gruelling 3-hour 5-minute battle. Williams, a sporting and cultural icon who amassed 23 Grand Slam singles titles in her 27-year career, poured everything into one last stand in front of a ferociously partisan crowd at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. 

But the veteran wilted visibly in the decisive third set, wearied by the demands of a heroic second set display that saw her level the match in a tie break. As Tomljanovic raced into a 5-1 lead in the third, Williams summoned every last drop of her fighting spirit to stave off defeat, saving five match points in a marathon seventh game before finally succumbing. Afterwards Williams saluted the crowd, welling up as Tina Turner's anthem "Simply the Best" belted out around the stands. Asked by an on-court interviewer whether there was any possibility she might yet extend her career, she replied: "I don't think so, but you never know." "It's been a fun ride," she said. "It's been the most incredible ride and journey I've ever been on, I mean, in my life. "I'm just so grateful to every single person that's ever said, 'Go, Serena,' in their life. I'm just so grateful. You got me here." 

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