Serena Williams won her first tennis tournament since 2017 and is donating the $43,000 prize to Australian bushfire relief
- On Sunday, Serena Williams won her first tennis tournament since 2017, when she was pregnant with her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr.
- Williams took the trophy against American tennis player Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-4, at the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand.
- Williams announced that she will donate the $43,000 of prize money from her win to Australian bushfire relief, joining the likes of athletes, celebrities and CEOs who have pledged to donate to relief funds of the disaster.
- Williams will also be playing in a charity match supporting bushfire relief on January 15 with fellow tennis stars Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal, CNN reported.
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On Sunday, Serena Williams won her first tennis tournament since 2017, when she was pregnant with her now-2-year-old daughter, Alexis Olympia.
At the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, Williams beat her opponent, American tennis player Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-4, in the singles final as confirmed by the Associated Press.
She spoke to CNN after her winning match, saying: "Oh, it feels good! It's been a long time. I think you could see the relief on my face."
"It's pretty satisfying just to get a win in the final," Williams continued. "That was really important for me, and I just want to build on it. It's just a step towards the next goal."
Williams also announced after her win that she would donate the $43,000 of prize money from the tournament to Australian bushfire relief, reported CNN.
On Wednesday, CNN confirmed that Williams will join fellow tennis stars Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer in competing in the Australian Open Rally for Relief, a match that will raise money for bushfire relief. The charity match takes place on January 15 in Melbourne.
Williams is one of several public figures to show their support for Australian bushfire relief efforts by pledging to donate time or money. Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova said in a Twitter post she would donate $25,000 to bushfire relief, and Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic responded in a tweet, saying he would match the donation.
A number of celebrities have also showed their support for the bushfire cause. Grammy Award-nominee Lizzo was recently spotted volunteering at a food bank in Melbourne, and "Fleabag" actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge said she'll auction her 2020 Golden Globes outfit to raise money for the disaster relief.
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