Serena Williams wore her recreation confront when she stepped out into the stadium for her initial match because telling the entire world she is prepared to depart specialist tennis.

Greeted by a standing ovation, the 23-time Grand Slam winner did not smile. She didn’t wave. She took a sip from a plastic bottle as she walked in. Some folks in the group captured the moment with the cameras on their cellphones. Others held aloft hand-drawn indications — oh, so lots of signs — with messages this sort of as "Queen" or "Thank you."

No one understands exactly how quite a few additional matches Williams will enjoy in advance of she places her rackets away for great, and the 40-calendar year-old American exited the Countrywide Lender Open on Wednesday evening with a 6-2, 6-4 decline to Belinda Bencic.

Though there ended up some acquainted fist pumps and yells of "Come on!" for the duration of competitors, it was only afterward that Williams seriously allowed her inner thoughts to clearly show, her voice shaking and her eyes welling for the duration of an on-court job interview when Bencic ceded the spotlight.

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Serena Williams leaves the court docket carrying bouquets and waving to followers after her loss to Belinda Bencic of Switzerland for the duration of the National Bank Open tennis tournament on Aug. 10, 2022, in Toronto. (Chris Young/The Canadian Push by way of WHD)

"A ton of thoughts, clearly," Williams told spectators who offered her encouragement all over the apparent, 75-diploma night.

The 2nd-spherical match at the really hard-courtroom tuneup for the U.S. Open came a working day just after she announced "the countdown has started" on her enjoying career, stating she wishes to have another baby and pursue company interests.

She did not state precisely what her past event will be but did make it audio as if her ultimate farewell will appear at the U.S. Open, which begins Aug. 29 in New York. Williams has received the singles title at Flushing Meadows a half-dozen situations — to start with in 1999 most not too long ago in 2014 — to go together with 7 championships apiece at Wimbledon and the Australian Open, moreover 3 at the French Open up.

"It’s been a pretty attention-grabbing 24 hours," Williams mentioned after Wednesday’s match.

"I’m awful at goodbyes," she additional, her hand on her chest, "but goodbye, Toronto!"

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Serena Williams runs down a shot from Belinda Bencic of Switzerland for the duration of the National Bank Open tennis match on Aug. 10, 2022, in Toronto. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via WHD)

Subsequent up on her program is the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati upcoming 7 days, an additional celebration that serves as planning for the year's past Grand Slam tournament.

Williams, a three-time champion in Canada, begun this match, fittingly sufficient, with an ace. Delivered another later in that recreation, as well, displaying off the fantastic provide that aided her to so many match victories, so many match titles, so quite a few months at No. 1 in the rankings.

That elite ability confirmed up sometimes from Bencic, no matter whether the trio of unreturnable serves to near out that opening match or a afterwards putaway swinging volley accented with a shout and a tug on the brim of her white visor.

But simply because of a leg personal injury that sidelined her for the final half of 2021 and initially 50 percent of 2022, she was playing for only the 3rd time in the earlier 12 months. There ended up signals of that, as perfectly, and of why Williams is no more time the dominant force she was for so long.

The breaks of her provide that ended up never ever really so repeated when she was young and at the top of her powers. The not-pretty-on-goal groundstrokes. The incapability to supply up far too considerably resistance while receiving provide she only earned one crack position in the to start with set, missing a return long to fritter away that possibility, and none in the second.

"I wish I could have performed much better," Williams stated, "but Belinda played so nicely right now."

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Belinda Bencic hits a return to Serena Williams for the duration of the National Lender Open up tennis match on Aug. 10, 2022, in Toronto. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Push by using WHD)

It did not support Williams that she was facing an opponent 15 a long time her junior and pretty gifted to boot: Bencic is ranked 12th, received a gold medal for Switzerland at the Tokyo Olympics past year and has been a Grand Slam semifinalist.

"It can be generally an honor to be on the courtroom with her," Bencic mentioned, "and that is why I feel tonight is about her."

Bencic took house the Toronto trophy at age 18 in 2015, when she removed Williams in the semifinals to receive the distinction of becoming the youngest girl to beat a player numerous think about, as one selfmade poster in the stands declared Wednesday, the "GOAT" — the biggest of all-time.

In the late match, Bianca Andreescu — the last Canadian remaining in the singles draw — conquer Alize Cornet 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Andreescu won the event in 2019 when Williams retired in the final match because of back again difficulties.

Bencic highly developed to experience two-time important champion Garbiñe Muguruza, who beat Kaia Kanepi 6-4, 6-4. Seeded players who still left the attract Wednesday incorporated No. 2 Anett Kontaveit, No. 4 Paula Badosa, No. 5 Ons Jabeur, No. 13 Leylah Fernandez and No. 16 Jelena Ostapenko.

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Serena Williams reacts just after her loss to Belinda Bencic of Switzerland during the National Lender Open up tennis tournament on Aug. 10, 2022, in Toronto. (Chris Youthful/The Canadian Press through WHD)

Jabeur, the Wimbledon runner-up previous thirty day period, stopped in the 2nd set versus Zheng Qinwen simply because of stomach ache. Badosa cited muscle mass cramping for her mid-match retirement whilst trailing Yulia Putintseva.

Fernandez, the Canadian who was the U.S. Open up runner-up previous year, missing 7-6 (4), 6-1 to Beatriz Haddad Maia, though Alison Riske-Amritraj defeated 2017 French Open champion Ostapenko 7-6 (2), -6, 7-5.