Serena Williams wins Auckland Classic for first title in three years

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Serena Williams
Serena Williams is in her fourth decade on the WTA Tour

Serena Williams won her first title in three years and first since becoming a mother with victory over Jessica Pegula at the Auckland Classic.

The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion beat her fellow American 6-3 6-4.

It is the 38-year-old's first singles title since she won the Australian Open in 2017 and her 73rd WTA title overall.

Williams, in her fourth decade on the WTA Tour, lost the Wimbledon and US Open finals in 2018 and 2019 and retired from the 2019 Rogers Cup final.

She said after her victory that she would donate her prize money in Auckland 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.

"I have been playing for so long and been through so much and I'm happy to be doing something I love."

The Australian Open begins on 20 January, with Williams bidding to equal Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles.

Williams won her first WTA title in February 1999, when she beat France's Amelie Mauresmo on carpet at the Open Gaz de France.

She made a slow start in Auckland, with Pegula taking a 3-1 lead in the first set, before recovering to win the next five games and close out the opening set.

Williams broke the unseeded Pegula's serve early in the second set and converted her fourth match point to ensure victory.

She celebrated on court with her daughter, Olympia, with whom she was eight weeks pregnant when she won her last Grand Slam title in Melbourne.

Williams was also in the doubles final with Caroline Wozniacki, but the two were beaten 6-4 6-4 by Asia Muhammad and Taylor Townsend.

In Brisbane, Karolina Pliskova successfully defended her title with a 6-4 4-6 7-5 win over American Madison Keys.

Singles world number one Ashleigh Barty - who is donating all her prize money to the bushfire appeal - and her doubles partner Kiki Bertens lost their final against Barbora Strycova and Hsieh Su-wei 3-6 7-6 (9-7) 10-8.

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585 comments

  • Comment posted by Spare Head 3, at 07:54 12 Jan 2020

    In case it wasn't clear in the article, she is a mother.
    Just so everyone's clear, she had a baby.

  • Comment posted by bbrq288, at 07:42 12 Jan 2020

    Allyson Felix won a World Athletics Title less than a year after becoming a mother, did not endlessly go on about it on social media, where it like a martyr and is a really nice person. Williams had her daughter several years ago. Many, many women have done more than this and just gone on with it. This is not news.

  • Comment posted by Dcf, at 08:07 12 Jan 2020

    I had a mother once. Apparently she was able to go back to work after giving birth. Remarkable!

  • Comment posted by Tired , at 08:04 12 Jan 2020

    What is this fascination with her being a mother!? Other tennis players are also mothers. Clijsters Even won a major just a few weeks after rejoining the tour.

  • Comment posted by valjester, at 07:54 12 Jan 2020

    Took all of 15 words to squeeze in the fact that she's a mum.

  • Comment posted by Ritch, at 08:05 12 Jan 2020

    Serena "I'm a Mother" Williams. I think I'll start a game... See how many times she (or commentators) mention being a mother in 2020. Hundreds at least.

  • Comment posted by Shaun, at 08:07 12 Jan 2020

    The BBC kept the fact she is a mother quiet didn't they !

    Millions of women who are mothers continue successful careers so what male this one so special ?

  • Comment posted by Mad World, at 08:53 12 Jan 2020

    My grandmother, who was also a mother raised her 3 daughters, kept a roof over their heads and held down 2 jobs after her waster of a husband just walked out. All of which was in a country that had just been through WW2

    But you hold up the multi millionaire Serena as a champion of motherhood!

  • Comment posted by Bradford, at 08:18 12 Jan 2020

    Everyone is aware that the BBC have over the years given Serena special treatment because she ticks many boxes in their pc agenda and Serena is not alone. It just winds people up when the BBC continuously show favouritism because of the political agenda.

  • Comment posted by Dcf, at 08:20 12 Jan 2020

    28. Posted byNot2seriouson
    2 minutes ago

    #24 Are you sure ?

    Predictable.

    Look. This successful women hits a ball, makes millions of $.

    She also isn't too bothered to treat others in the full spotlight of a televised tournament, like dirt.

    But she's a hero to many. Why? Because that sort of behaviour of trashing others and getting away with it is success to them.

    Sad people.

  • Comment posted by Ricky, at 08:07 12 Jan 2020

    Her record doesn't match up to Steffi or Margaret. They achieved their slams in around half the time. Margaret could gave probably won 30 slams had she played as long as Serena. Just for the avoidance of doubt maragaret court was a mother too, but didn't go on about that quite so much. In fact she won a calendar year grand slam after having a baby.

  • Comment posted by Braaphootswartleberryboroughfordshireton, at 08:42 12 Jan 2020

    My mother had 5 kids. She worked in the mills from the age of 13. She took one week off before she went back to work. She didn’t donate anything to charity because she didn’t have a pot to p1ss in. Can we give her a posthumous medal please BBC?

  • Comment posted by David Windsor, at 09:39 12 Jan 2020

    Whilst I've never been a fan of Williams, all this self-originating praise for doing what millions of working mothers do without demur, and her shocking sense of entitlement & related on-court behaviour, mean that I absolutely can't stand her now.

  • Comment posted by Ricky, at 08:01 12 Jan 2020

    Really hope Ms Williams doesn't break the record. She is intolerant of anyone who doesn't share her narrow world view and goes around in her private jet pretending to be a victim. Stick to tennis and leave the politics at the door.

  • Comment posted by Richard, at 09:48 12 Jan 2020

    Wow BBC. It was THREE years ago.
    Most women have kids, come back and do an amazing job. Lots of other athletes have have had children & won titles much sooner after coming back.
    Your worship of Serena must stop.

  • Comment posted by Finkelstein, at 11:01 12 Jan 2020

    Every single article the BBC writes about Williams they have to tell us she is a mother. I appreciate the BBC has a feminist and diversity agenda but to keep telling us about Williams and motherhood is boring. Why not remind us all about her obscene conduct and abuse at the US open against Osaka and Clijsters. No disrespect but the Aukland tournament is very much second tier.

  • Comment posted by Me, at 11:49 12 Jan 2020

    The worst thing about BBC sports being so 'progressive' is how incredibly dull it has become. Each article is like reading woke ideology tracts from some predictably tedious and insidious 're education' manual written by a bunch of self righteous virtue signallers who believe their blessed duty is to patronise and sermonise everybody half to death with their unending sanctimony.

  • Comment posted by harrydash, at 10:33 12 Jan 2020

    @147
    Guess again. My wife and I have three kids, and you know what,she went back to work and was very successful in her chosen profession. We’re still waiting for the BBC reporter to come calling.

  • Comment posted by Rosbif, at 12:23 12 Jan 2020

    There is no doubting her ability as a tennis player just as there is no doubting that she is an extremely unpleasant person as she has demonstrated on numerous occasions over the years.

  • Comment posted by Oliver Le Flore, at 08:48 12 Jan 2020

    Is motherhood now some kind of martyrdom? Counselling perhaps? Yuck.

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