The Serena Williams of old delights on delirious second night at US Open | Tumaini Carayol

The 40-year-old not only held herself to stratospheric standards against Anett Kontaveit, but somehow fully met them

Throughout a breathless, intense first set during what could have been the last singles match of her career, Serena Williams stared down the No 2 player in the world, Anett Kontaveit, and responded to her challenge with an immaculate performance. In the second set, though, she was barely holding on. As she saved a break point at 1-3 with a sweet, curling ace, she raised her hands to the sky, enraged she could not find that shot each time she served.

If this were any other 40-year-old in the history of tennis, with the rust of a one-year layoff and the nerves of her final event, such shortcomings would be expected. But this is Serena Williams. She not only held herself to stratospheric standards, but somehow fully met them during the delirious second night of her Arthur Ashe Stadium residency. In defeating Kontaveit, she delayed her singles retirement for another round by producing at least one last legendary moment in a career filled with them.