BREAK POINT

Tearful Serena says: ’I’m done as the pace, power, and youth of Osaka blows her away and shows that women’s tennis has a new boss

- NEIL McLEMAN

SERENA WILLIAMS left the Australian Open in tears yesterday as Naomi Osaka was hailed the “new boss” of women’s tennis.

And the American superstar, who turns 40 in September, cast doubt on whether she will ever return to play Down Under. Williams won her 23rd Grand Slam in Melbourne while eight weeks pregnant in 2017.

But she has now failed to equal Margaret Court’s record in 11 Majors since returning from maternity leave, including losing four finals, and Osaka needed only 75 minutes to end her latest, error-strewn challenge in this semi-final. The seven-time champion put her hand on her heart and waved to the crowd during a standing ovation as she left the Rod Laver Arena.