Williams played her first-round match against Danka Kovinic of Montenegro as fans looked on with bated breath, knowing that had she lost, it would be her last time to compete in a major singles tournament.
"It was either her wear beads or me. I wanted to do it but I just didn't have the time," Williams said in a press briefing after the tournament, adding that her daughter has asked to wear beads a lot.
"She ended up beating Kovinic in two sets and will play in the second round of the championship on Wednesday," Buzzfeed reports.
The lifestyle website adds: "Before the 40-year-old entered the stadium, the audience watched a touching tribute video narrated by Queen Latifah, who was also present, highlighting Williams's past US Open performances and wins. Also this week, Gatorade (Beverage Company) released an ad narrated by Beyonce honouring Williams's legacy and the path she paved for Black women."
Williams announced her oncoming retirement in an interview with Vogue Magazine early this month, where she revealed that she wanted to "focus on her growing family."
"A lot of people don't realize that I was two months pregnant when I won the Australian Open in 2017. But I'm turning 41 this month, and something's got to give," Williams said.
She added: "I've been reluctant to admit that I have to move on from playing tennis. It's like a taboo topic. It comes up, and I start to cry. I think the only person I've really gone there with is my therapist."
In the candid interview, Williams reflected on her journey as a young black girl with the dream of playing tennis.
"My whole life, up to now, has been tennis. My dad says I first picked up a racket when I was three, but I think it was even earlier. There's a picture of Venus pushing me in a stroller on a tennis court, and I couldn't have been more than 18 months," Williams said.