New York ¨C Former U.S. President Barack Obama and tennis great Billie Jean King led the tributes to Serena Williams after her U.S. Open third-round loss to Ajla Tomljanovic on Friday, likely the final match of her sparkling career.
The 23-time singles Grand Slam champion¡¯s 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 6-1 defeat sparked a flood of messages on social media, as current and former athletes across sport as well as the world at large celebrated her achievements over the last 25 years.
¡°Congratulations, Serena, for your heart, skill, intelligence, dedication, and grace,¡± Obama wrote on Twitter on Saturday. ¡°Few athletes have inspired more people both in and beyond their sport!¡±
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