One last photo from courtside of arguably the best ever to do it. Serena Williams has played her last match as a tennis professional and from the moment the final point was won by Ajla Tomljanovic the outpouring of love flooded in.
"Her incredible career made its mark on tennis history. And yet her greatest contributions may be yet to come," said King, the former world number one and co-creator of the Women's Tennis Association, on Twitter.
"Thank you, Serena. Your journey continues."
Williams' third-round defeat by Tomljanovic - an extraordinary three hours befitting of the 40-year-old's final bow - brings down the curtain on a 27-year professional career that yielded 23 major singles wins.
She has been an inspiration to many since she won her first Grand Slam singles title at the 1999 US Open, beating then-world number one Martina Hingis to become the second African-American woman, after Althea Gibson in 1958, to win a major singles tournament.
Back then, fellow American Coco Gauff was still six years from being born but Williams soon became an idol for the now 18-year-old, who is into the US Open fourth round for the first time.
"It is because of you I believe in this dream. The impact you've had on me goes beyond any words that can be put together and for that I say thank you, thank you, thank you, GOAT!"
The farewell began at the beginning of the week when A-listers and Serena's friends and family packed the Arthur Ashe Stadium for her first-round match, ready to witness her final bow.
And they returned for two more singles matches - as well as one doubles where she teamed up alongside sister Venus - as Williams showed her incredible fighting spirit to reach the third round and even had fans contemplating the possibility of an unlikely fairytale run to one last title.
Those watching her - and the video montages celebrating her before each match - in the stadium this week included some of the greats of the fashion, sports and Hollywood worlds, demonstrating how the American has transcended tennis in so many ways.
The tributes flooded in from far beyond the tennis sphere, with former United States First Lady Michelle Obama saying: "How lucky were we to be able to watch a young girl from Compton grow up to become one of the greatest athletes of all time.
"I'm proud of you, my friend - and I can't wait to see the lives you continue to transform with your talents."
Source: BBC
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