AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Serena Williams broke a three-year title drought when she beat fellow American Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday to win the singles final at the ASB Classic.
Williams hadn’t won a title since the Australian Open singles in January, 2017, and not since she became a mother to her daughter Olympia, who was court-side to see the victory.
The 23-time major winner donated her $43,000 winner’s check to the fundraising appeal for victims of Australian wildfires, joining many other tennis stars, such as Ash Barty, Nick Kyrgios, Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova, who have pledged money to the already months-long fire emergency there.