Serena Williams' swansong at the French Open came in 2021.

The three-time winner, and 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, faced rising star Elena Rybakina in the fourth-round of that year's tournament.

It would turn out to be Williams' final appearance on the hallowed red clay at Roland Garros.

A leg injury ruled her out of the 2022 edition and she announced her retirement from the sport following the conclusion of the 2022 US Open.

At the second Grand Slam event of the year, the American 7th seed lost 6-3, 7-5 to inspired Kazakh star Rybakina in their match on Court Philippe Chatrier.

The then-39-year-old was powerless to stop her 21-year-old opponent and a bizarre incident late in the second set summed up her afternoon.

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Williams was on serve in the ninth game of the set with the score level at 4-4.

Her first serve of the game was met with a solid back-hand return from Rybakina and the pair continued to trade shots.

Rybakina, the 21st seed and future Wimbledon champion, then fired a backhand straight down the middle of the court which was clearly going long.

Instead of letting the ball fly past the baseline, Williams inexplicably let it hit her racket and subsequently lost the point.

"It's hit her racket! She's lost the point, even though the ball was going out!" exclaimed Eurosport commentator Chris Bradnam.

Annabel Croft added: "Oh my goodness, I don't think I've ever seen that.

"She didn't know whether to go in or stay back, let it go, play it... wow!" Bradnam replied. "Wow."

"That was so unlucky, wasn't it?" Croft added.

"She just gets caught out here, I can't believe it! It's just hit her racket!"

The match ended shortly after with the youngster scoring a huge upset win in a changing of the guard moment.

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