The stars came out to watch Serena Williams at the US Open in what could have been her final ever match.
But the 23-time Grand Slam winner was not quite ready to go yet as she extended her farewell with a 6-3 6-3 victory over Danka Kovanic in front of a record crowd at Flushing Meadow.
Nearly 30,000 people packed into the Arthur Ashe Stadium, among those included boxing Hall of Famer Mike Tyson and former US president Bill Clinton.
Tyson sat next to tennis legend Martina Navratilova, who was holding a puppy in her lap.
The atmosphere inside the stadium was electric as Williams, who is a six-time winner in New York, took to the court.
The noise grew louder and louder as a montage, voiced by Queen Latifah, played highlights of those victories at Flushing Meadow.
"I think when I walked out, the reception was really overwhelming," she said later. "It was loud and I could feel it in my chest. It was a really good feeling. It's a feeling I'll never forget. That meant a lot to me."
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She wore a special dress and shoes that were covered in diamonds, crystals and gold, that sparkled under the lights during the night session.
Her daughter Olympia sat in the crowd wearing a matching outfit and sported beads in her hair, like Serena wore during her maiden US Open victory back in 1999.
Film director Spike Lee performed the coin as both tried to compose themselves before the match.
Nerves were very evident from both, particularly in the form of early double faults, but, with a wall of noise greeting every Williams winner, she began to give the crowd what they wanted.
She was certainly moving better than she had in defeat by Emma Raducanu in Cincinnati earlier this month, and her serve and groundstrokes increased in penetration as the match wore on.
The second set, while not vintage Williams, was an indication that this valedictory lap may yet have some way to go as she set up a clash with second seed Anett Kontaveit on Wednesday.
"I do feel different," she said. "I think I was really emotional in Toronto and Cincinnati. It was very difficult. I'm not saying it's not difficult now. It's extremely difficult still because I absolutely love being out there.
"The more tournaments I play, I feel like the more I can belong out there. That's a tough feeling to have, and to leave knowing, the more you do it, the more you can shine.
"But it's time for me to evolve to the next thing. I think it's important because there's so many other things that I want to do."
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