'Just brilliant': Tennis legends in staggering donation for bushfire victims
Serena Williams ended a three-year title drought and donated her entire winner's cheque to victims of the Australian bushfires in an emotional WTA Auckland Classic final on Sunday.
Williams raised expectations for this month's Australian Open, where she can equal Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam titles, with her 6-3, 6-4 victory over Jessica Pegula - her first WTA trophy since she won in Melbourne in 2017.
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But the 38-year-old tempered celebrations as she donated her $62,000 winner's cheque to the Australian bushfire relief fund and described how the tragedy had affected her deeply.
"I've been playing in Australia for over 20 years and it's been really hard for me to watch all the news and everything that has been happening in Australia with all the fire and... animals and people that have lost their homes," she said.
"I decided at the beginning of the tournament... I'd donate all my prize money for a great cause."
It is Williams' first title since 2017 - and her first as a mother - since she won the Australian Open while pregnant.
Her 73 WTA titles now stretch across four decades, after she won her first in 1999.
What a champion!! #WorkingMom https://t.co/2itHwJvgTm
— Urzila Carlson (@UrzilaCarlson) January 12, 2020
The queen Serena Williams has donated her US$43,000 winner’s cheque at the WTA Auckland Classic to the Australian bushfire relief fund. She also signed the dress she wore in the first round and put it up for auction to raise funds
— Mninawa Ntloko (@ntlokom) January 12, 2020
Just brilliant from @serenawilliams - wins her first tournament since the US Open Final and donates all her prize money to the Australia bushfire efforts. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼#Serena
— Nicky Crosby (@CrosbyNicky) January 12, 2020
Serena Williams hadn't won a title since she became a mother to her daughter, Olympia, who was courtside to witness the victory.
The 23-time major winner donated her $43,000 winner's check to the fundraising appeal for victims of Australian wildfires. https://t.co/YLnAo6tVZa— Eugene Scott (@Eugene_Scott) January 12, 2020
ATP donates $725,000 to bushfire relief
The ATP will donate $725,000 to the WWF Australian Wildlife and Nature Recovery Fund as part of the bushfire relief efforts, the governing body of men's tennis says.
The donation from players was announced by Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal after Serbia defeated Spain to capture the inaugural ATP Cup team event in Sydney.
The Australian bush has been burning for nearly three months and the fires have killed 28 people, claimed 2000 homes and consumed millions of acres of land and wildlife.
"This donation with the ATP is on behalf of all the players and our thoughts and support go out to all those who have been affected," ATP Player Council president Djokovic added in a statement.
"Australia is such an amazing and welcoming country and it feels like home for us at the start of each season. To see the damage to wildlife and nature... has been devastating."
As part of the #Aces4BushfireRelief campaign, several ATP and WTA players have pledged personal donations towards relief and recovery efforts.
Serena, Roger Federer and Nadal will feature in an exhibition match on January 15 ahead of the Australian Open to raise funds.
Former Australia cricketer Shane Warne, who raised over $1 million by auctioning off his prized "baggy green" cap, will play in a charity Twenty20 game next month for bushfire relief.
The Australian Open tennis tournament, the first Grand Slam of the year, starts in Melbourne on January 20.
with AAP
