Serena Williams wins Auckland Classic. Image via WTA Instagram.

A good Australia story: Serena Williams won her first title in three years and first since becoming a mother with victory over Jessica Pegula at the ASB Classic in Auckland. Serena’s last tournament win was the Australian Open in January 2017, where she was playing pregnant but didn’t know it yet.

I keep thinking of Serena as "winning" since her return to tennis after Olympia was born and Serena recovered. In reality, Williams, in her fourth decade on the WTA Tour, lost the Wimbledon and US Open finals in 2018 and 2019 and retired injured from the 2019 Rogers Cup final. After her win, Serena lifted her hands in the air as the crowd burst into “thunderous cheers” writes People.

Williams said after her victory that she would donate her $43,000 Auckland prize money and a dress she had worn to the Australian bushfire appeal. "It feels good. It's been a long time, I think you could see the relief on my face," said Williams.

CNN reports that on January 15 in Melbourne, Serena Williams will join Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer, Naomi Osaka, Caroline Wozniacki, Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas and more at Melbourne Park's Rod Laver Arena for exhibition matches. The Australian Open Rally for Relief will donate proceeds from ticket sales -- priced at $37 (54 AUSD) for adults and $24 (35 AUSD) for concessions -- to the bushfire relief efforts.