US Open 2022 – What it is wish to be Ajla Tomljanovic, the villain within the Serena Williams’ fairy-tale farewell

NEW YORK — Ajla Tomljanovic‘s first phrases in her postmatch interview Friday after beating Serena Williams had been, “I am feeling actually sorry.”

She spoke only a minute after Williams had walked off the courtroom at Arthur Ashe Stadium, for what’s prone to be the ultimate time as a professional. Tomljanovic had bested her in a three-hour epic match.

It was one of many greatest victories of her life, however there have been no celebrations.

“I really like Serena simply as a lot as you do,” Tomljanovic informed the group, remembering how she’d idolized her rising up. “It is a surreal second for me.”

Williams had saved 5 match factors till the sixth one ended her marketing campaign. She had been constructing on the US Open, after successful her opening two matches in opposition to Danka Kovinic and world No. 2 Anett Kontaveit. In opposition to Tomljanovic, she was the favourite — for the primary time in a match this match. There was a rising feeling that she may do the unthinkable and win the entire thing; the farewell tour was metamorphosing into essentially the most unimaginable closing final dance that solely Serena Williams may craft.

However exceptional sports activities fairy tales are uncommon. And for each a type of unicorns, there are way more tales of dream narratives being ruined by reluctant protagonists.

“I really feel like a villain,” Tomljanovic mentioned afterward.

She’s not the primary to really feel like that, nor the final. A few of sport’s best figures have been unable to complete their careers on a excessive word and it leaves a lingering impression on those that halted their heroes within the closing steps.

Take Larry Holmes when he stopped Muhammad Ali in October 1980. Ali had come out of a yearlong retirement to take the combat with Holmes, however Ali was a shadow of his former self, and Holmes gained conclusively with Ali’s coach Angelo Dundee stopping the combat within the tenth spherical. Holmes cried in his postfight interview. “While you combat a pal, to me a brother, you’ll be able to’t get happiness,” Holmes said. “I fought a no-win scenario.” Ali would combat yet one more time, and lose.

There are the opposite types of nice sports activities narratives the place one old-timer manages to roll again the years to throw the youthful technology off guard, solely to fall brief. There have been these 4 memorable days on the 2009 Open the place 59-year-old Tom Watson simply missed out on the Claret Jug as he misplaced a 1-shot lead on the ultimate day after which fell in a playoff to Stewart Cink.

Afterwards, Cink was requested whether or not he felt he had ruined the tip of a Hollywood film. “No, I do not really feel that approach. I really feel like that whether or not Tom was 59 or 29, you understand, he was one of many subject, and I needed to play in opposition to all people on the sector and the course to return out on prime,” Cink said. “I do not assume something could be taken away. Someone might disagree with that, however it’ll be arduous to persuade me.”

He added: “I do not really feel ashamed. I do not really feel dissatisfied. I am happy as punch that I’ve gained this match.”

After which there are the pre-planned farewells, like Serena’s, the place nostalgia and perception create a frenzy to all these watching, hoping to witness one final golden second. Usain Bolt’s farewell to the game appeared for all of the world to be a assured gold medal within the 100 meters on the 2017 World Championships in Athletics in London.

However as a substitute, it was Justin Gatlin who got here via for gold, with Bolt in third.

As Gatlin did his victory lap, he was booed by the group. “Bolt got here to me after the race and mentioned I did not deserve all of the boos from the group, and he is glad I’ve stayed elegant,” Gatlin said. “It is a surreal second. He will be a determine that is extensively missed, even by me.”

Six days later, Bolt’s hamstring gave out on the ending straight of the lads’s 4×100. It might be his closing act on the observe — the picture of the fallen hero, his physique giving out, solely including to the legend.

On Friday at Arthur Ashe, Tomljanovic’s triumphs had been met with silence, after which a crescendo of noise to attempt to rouse Williams. The victory took Tomljanovic 3 hours, 5 minutes, however was constructed on a lifetime of talent and psychological energy. Each time she hit her first serve into the web, the fault was cheered. The one time her frustration boiled over and he or she spoke to the umpire about being interrupted by noise from the group, her irritation was met with boos.

To deal with having the overwhelming majority of the 23,859 viewers cheering for her opponent, she channeled Novak Djokovic‘s tactic. “When the group was in opposition to him, he simply pretends it is for him,” she mentioned after her second-round win. “After they chant, I do not know, Rafa, Roger, whoever, he hears Novak, Novak. I sort of appreciated that response.”

It labored for her. “I used that [tactic] and I additionally simply actually blocked it out as a lot as I may,” Tomljanovic mentioned after beating Williams. “It did get to me a couple of instances internally. I imply, I did not take it personally as a result of, I imply, I’d be cheering for Serena, too, if I wasn’t enjoying her. However it was undoubtedly not straightforward. There was no different approach.”

She shaped her personal “little bubble,” after which after three units of blistering tennis, she watched Williams’ on-court interview and had one million feelings operating via her.

“[It was] most likely essentially the most conflicted I’ve ever felt after a win,” she mentioned. “Through the match I used to be so desirous to win. However then when it ended, it virtually did not really feel proper. When she began speaking about her household and every little thing, yeah, I bought emotional as a result of I can relate to having a robust bond with your loved ones. When she mentioned that she would not be there if it wasn’t for them, I relate to that rather a lot. The entire second after was simply powerful to deal with slightly bit.”

The group applauded after she spoke — and it felt like the primary cheers she had heard that evening, barring the 15 or so individuals who sat in her field for the sport.

On Sunday, Tomljanovic faces Liudmila Samsonova within the fourth spherical. It will not be again on Ashe, however as a substitute on the subsequent greatest present courtroom — Louis Armstrong. To get again on to Ashe, she’ll must hold successful.

Her best return in a Grand Slam to this point is 2 quarterfinal exits at Wimbledon. She’s overcome one monumental hurdle to attempt to higher that.

However no matter occurs right here, she’ll all the time have that honor of being the participant to knock Williams out of her closing US Open. And with that, she’ll be the reply to one in every of sport’s nice trivia questions.

“I imply, nobody’s going to pronounce my identify proper,” she mentioned. “That is going to suck. However, I imply, I do not assume I might of been a part of tennis historical past, in order that’s fairly cool. … I actually did wish to play Serena earlier than she retired.

“If I used to be the loser as we speak I might most likely be actually unhappy. I do not wish to say I am unhappy, however simply conflicted slightly bit.”