Serena Williams donated her $43K title prize money to help fight the Australian bushfires
Tennis star Serena Williams just scored her first title since becoming a mother to daughter Alexis Olympia in 2017. And because she’s not only the GOAT of the tennis world but also the GOAT, period, Williams donated her $43,000 prize money to the Australian bushfire relief effort.
"Oh, it feels good!" Williams told CNN after her January 12th win at the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. "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. That was really important for me, and I just want to build on it. It's just a step towards the next goal."
The last time she won a title, Williams was pregnant with Alexis Olympia. This time, she won against fellow American Jessica Pegula in a tight 6-3, 6-4 match.
After it was all said and done, Williams announced she would be donating her winnings to those who really need it.
On January 11th, Williams posted a call to action on Instagram, urging her followers to join the effort to help the animals and people affected by the raging bushfires in Australia.
"I am heartbroken over the devastation of the wildfires in Australia. With the loss of over 500 million animals and many people left without their homes, we need to act now to help in whatever way we can..." Williams captioned her post. "Here’s how we all can help: donate what you can and support organizations like [World Wildlife Fund], [WIRES Wildlife Rescue], [NSW Rural Fire Service], [and CFA (Country Fire Authority)] who are doing everything they can to provide resources to rehabilitate Australia’s wildlife."
Furthermore, according to Refinery29, Williams and fellow tennis players, including Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, will play a charity match called Australian Open Rally for Relief on January 15th. All the ticket proceeds will be donated to Australian bushfire relief efforts.
She will then go on to hopefully take home more metal at the Australian Open, which begins on January 20th. Williams’ donation is greatly appreciated and so needed. Check out the charities she listed above to join in and help fight back against the fires.