Oprah Winfrey gave a tribute to Tennis star Serena Williams moments before what could have been her last game. The 40-year-old athlete beat Danka Kovinic on Monday to delay her farewell. Williams announced that she would play her last US Open this year.

The short video is a montage of Serena Williams’ Tennis career. The video shows a 17-year-old Williams winning her very first US Open in 1999 and goes on to cover the highlights of her career.

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“Thank you for dressing to the nines and bringing your dancing shoes. Thank you for turning center court into center stage”, Oprah says as the video shows Serena Williams’ out-of-the-box choice of shoes. 

“Thank you for thinking outside the lines and encouraging us to evolve. Thank you for showing us how to love the sport and for always loving us back”, Oprah added.

Other Tennis legends have also paid their tributes to Serena Williams. Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev shared their favourite memories with Serena Williams ahead of the competition.

Emotions ran high on Monday in New York City’s Ashe court, where a 17-year-old Williams beat Martina Hingis for her initial Grand Slam trophy. Serena Williams’ daughter Olympia, 4, was also seen in the stands.

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Olympia jumped on her seat to click a photo of her mother, who was entering the arena for her clash with Danka Kovinic. The 4-year-old had also braided white needs into her hair, a style that Serena Williams sported during her first US Open win.

Williams, one of the most accomplished athletes in the history of her — or any other — sport, has seven titles apiece at Wimbledon and the Australian Open, six US Open wins, plus three at the French Open, across a career remarkable for its peaks and its longevity. She also owns 14 Grand Slam doubles championships, all won with her older sister, Venus.