Serena Williams has now done what every singles Olympic gold-medal winner in tennis, including her sister, has done. She failed to defend the gold medal won in 2012.
Williams struggled in her loss to Elena Svitolina, looking exhausted and unable to find her rhythm. She had the same problem on Monday, when she eked out a win over Alize Cornet, the 48th-ranked player in the world.
When you take a peek at her schedule, the exhaustion is understandable. The Olympics are the seventh tournament she’s played in this year, and they were played on four different continents. Travel, media, sponsor obligations have also filled her days. In Rio de Janeiro, she walked in the Opening Ceremony and played in doubles and singles matches. The life of a professional tennis player is already exhausting, but throwing in the Olympics compounds that.
There’s a reason why so many athletes, including tennis players, opted out of going to Rio de Janeiro. While they gave different reasons — ranging from scheduling to Zika — they knew there was a chance they could do what Williams did. They could travel to Rio just weeks before the U.S. Open, and even worse, they could lose.
Judging by her Instagram and Snapchat, Williams loves being an Olympian. She so happily posed for pictures at the opening ceremony with other athletes, and was so excited to see pictures with her sister hanging up.
But this is also the risk an a pro athlete takes when they decide to go to the Olympics. While a gold medal and the experiences she’s had in Rio are priceless, they still take a toll on the body.
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Argentina wing spiker Facundo Conte (7) celebrates with teammates against Iran during a preliminary round volleyball game.
Iran wing spiker Farhad Ghaemi (5) reacts against Argentina during a preliminary round volleyball game.
Michael Phelps (USA) gets ready for his leg during the men's 4x100m freestyle relay final.
Nigeria forward Ekene Ibekwe (15) tries to drive around Argentina power forward Luis Scola (4) in a men's preliminary basketball game.
Croatia forward Dario Saric (9) blocks a last-second shot by Spain center Pau Gasol (4) in a men's preliminary basketball game.
Russia wing spiker Dimitry Volkov (7) hits against Cuba during a preliminary round volleyball game on Saturday.
Long Ma (CHN) competes against Jonathan Groth on Saturday.
Novak Djokovic (SRB) catches a ball during his match against Juan Martin Del Potro during men's singles play on Saturday.
Gabby Douglas (USA) and Madison Kocian (USA) hug along with their teammates during women's gymnastic qualifications in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Rio Olympic Arena.
Team USA reacts during women's gymnastic qualifications in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Rio Olympic Arena.
Simone Biles (USA) performs the balance beam during women's gymnastic qualifications in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Rio Olympic Arena.
Laurie Hernandez (USA) performs the balance beam during women's gymnastic qualifications in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Rio Olympic Arena.
Sinphet Kruaithong (THA) competes during the 56kg weightlifting event at Riocentro in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
Serena Williams (USA) hits the ball as Venus Williams (USA) looks on against Lucie Safarova (CZE, not pictured) and Barbora Strycova (CZE) during the women's doubles in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Olympic Tennis Centre.
Spain center Pau Gasol (4) puts up a basket as Croatia forward Dario Saric (9) looks on in a mens preliminary basketball game at Carioca Arena 1 during the Rio 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games.
Gabby Douglas (USA) performs on the balance beam during women's gymnastic qualifications in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Rio Olympic Arena.
Aly Raisman (USA) performs a floor routine during women's gymnastic qualifications in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Rio Olympic Arena.
Tania Cagnotto and Francesca Dallape (ITA) during the women's 3m springboard synchronized diving final at Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre.
Joseph Clarke (GBR) during the men's kayak (K1) heats in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Whitewater Stadium.
Fabio Basile (ITA) celebrates after beating Adrian Gomboc (SLO) during the men's judo 66kg semifinals in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 2.
Alexander Massialas (USA) defeats Richard Kruse (GBR) during men's fencing competition in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 3.
Tingmao Shi and Minxia Wu (CHN) during the women's 3m springboard synchronized diving final at Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre.
Phil Dalhausser (USA) blocks the shot of Choaib Belhaj Salah (TUN) during a beach volleyball match at Beach Volleyball Arena in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
Michal Smolen of the United States competes during the men's kayak (K1) heats in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Whitewater Stadium.
China midfield Yang Peng, middle, shoots the ball against Germany goalkeeper Kristina Reynolds during the first round of pool A women's fields hockey in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Olympic Hockey Centre.
Odette Giuffrida of Italy celebrates after beating Yingnan Ma of China during the women's judo 52kg semifinals in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 2.
Corey Cogdell of the United States competes during the women's trap finals in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Olympic Shooting Centre. Cogdell won bronze in the event.
Brazil center Nene Hilario grabs a rebound against Lithuania center Jonas Valanciunas during a mens preliminary basketball game at Carioca Arena 1.
USA back Victoria Folayan tries to break a tackle by an Australian player during a rugby sevens match at Deodoro Stadium in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Coco Vandeweghe of the United States celebrate after defeating Anabel Medina Garrigues and Arantxa Parra-Santonja of Spain in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Olympic Tennis Centre.
Lely Berlitt Burgos Ortiz of Puerto Rico competes during the women's 53kg in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Olympic Tennis Centre.
Enkelejda Bekurti Shehaj of the United State during the women's 10-meter air pistol in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Olympic Shooting Centre.
Lilly King of the United States during the women's 100-meter breaststroke heats in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Olympic Aquatics Stadium.
Myong Sun Ri of South Korea competes against Petra Lovas of Hungary in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Riocentro - Pavilion 3.
Alexander Massialas of the United States, right, faces off against Artur Akhmatkhuzin of Russia during men's fencing competition in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 3.
Mengxue Zhang of China, middle, holds her gold medal between Vitalina Batsarashkina of Russia, left, and Anna Korakaki of Greece after the women's 10-meter air pistol in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Olympic Shooting Centre.
Conor Dwyer of the United States starts during the men's 200m freestyle heats in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Olympic Aquatics Stadium.
Serena Williams of United States hits a backhand to Daria Gavrilova of Australia during the women's singles in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Olympic Tennis Centre.
Athletes warm up before the canoe slalom heats in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Whitewater Stadium.
Brazilian military personnel look on after tennis matches are postponed due to wind in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Olympic Tennis Centre.
An official adds weights during the men's 56kg in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Olympic Tennis Centre.
Natalia Sanchez of Colombia takes aim in a women's team elimination match at Sambodromo during the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
United States guard Diana Taurasi shoots while being defended by Senegal guard Fatou Dieng during the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Youth Arena.
Adlan Abdurashidov of Russia ducks from a punch from Thadius Katua of Papua New Guinea during a match in the preliminaries at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Riocentro - Pavilion 6.
New Zealand back Kelly Brazier runs through players from France on her way to a try during a rugby sevens match at Deodoro Stadium in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
Brooke Sweat of the Unites States hits over Kinga Kolosinska of Poland during a beach volleyball match at Beach Volleyball Arena in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
Thibaut Vallette of France during the equestrian eventing dressage in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Olympic Equestrian Center.
Toni-Ann Williams of Jamaica competes during women's gymnastic qualifications in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Rio Olympic Arena.
Jonathan Groth of Denmark competes against Benedek Olah of Finland during the men's single in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Riocentro - Pavilion 3.
Chi-Chung Tan of Chinese Taipei competes in the men's 56kg in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Olympic Tennis Centre.
Talita Rocha of Brazil celebrates a point with partner Larissa Franca Maestrini as they play Russia during a beach volleyball match at Beach Volleyball Arena in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
Guilherme Toldo of Brazil, right, faces off against Rene Pranz of Austria during men's fencing competition at Carioca Arena 3.
Yilin Fan of China performs on the balance beam during women's gymnastic qualifications in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Rio Olympic Arena.
Rio de Bouchard of Canada beats Raymond Ovinou of Papua New Guinea during the men's judo 64kg round of 32 in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 2.
An Olympic volunteer rests during a wind delay for rowing at Lagoa Stadium in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games.