Samantha Stosur's decorated tennis career has come to an emotional end following a first-round Australian Open mixed doubles loss with Matthew Ebden.

The retiring great and Ebden lost 4-6 6-3 10-6 in a match tiebreak to the fifth-seeded Dutch-Croatian pairing of Demi Schuurs and Nikola Mektic in front of a packed court three crowd on Saturday.

A teary Stosur was given a standing ovation from the adoring fans, including her family, and acknowledged by her rivals after a 21st and final Melbourne Park campaign.

"It's really hard to put into words. I just can't believe the journey I've been able to get on," Stosur said.

"Dreaming as a little kid and to be able to finish here all these years later in front of friends and family and the Aussie fans who have supported me forever.

"That's what actually makes me the most upset is not being able to go to all these tournaments and see all the people that I love.

"I've been lucky to have the success that I've had and that's what we do it for and I've been very blessed to have the career that I've had and do it in a way where I've enjoyed myself with the people around me."

This defeat follows her exit from the women's doubles with Frenchwoman Alize Cornet.

Stosur won the Australian Open women's doubles in 2019 with Zhang Shaui, as well as the mixed title at Melbourne Park way back in 2005 with countryman Scott Draper.

The 2011 US Open singles champion also claimed grand slam women's doubles titles at the 2006 French Open and at Flushing Meadows in 2005 and 2021 and spent 61 weeks atop the doubles rankings during her career.