Serena Williams has played her final match in Canada.
The all-time tennis great lost to Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-4 in the second round of the National Bank Open women’s tournament.
Williams, who turns 41 this September, announced her intention to retire at the end of this season on Tuesday.
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She received three loud ovations before the match against Bencic even began, with the sold-out crowd at Toronto’s Sobeys Stadium clearly favouring Williams.
Signs dotted the 12,500-seat venue with messages like “Thank you, Serena!,” “Canada loves you!,” and “We will miss you!”
Bencic said after the win that it was always an honour to play