Williams ends title drought

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP):

Serena Williams ended a three-year title drought when she beat fellow American Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-4 to win the singles final at the ASB Classic yesterday.

Williams hadn’t won a title since the Australian Open in January 2017 and not since she became a mother to her daughter Olympia, who was courtside to see the victory.

“It feels good. It’s been a long time,” Williams said. “I think you can see the relief on my face.

“I played an incredible opponent today in Jessica, and, honestly, it was a great match, and I couldn’t have played anyone better in the final.”

The 23-time major winner donated her US$43,000 (just under J$6 million) winner’s check to the fundraising appeal for victims of Australian wildfires, joining many other tennis stars, such as Ash Barty, Nick Kygrios, Novak Djokovic, and Maria Sharapova, who have pledged money to the already months-long fire emergency there.

Williams was under pressure at first against the 25-year-old Pegula, playing in her third WTA final, but asserted herself more as the match went on to claim her 73rd win in 98 finals and to add her name to a trophy won by her sister, Venus, in 2015.

The last three years have been challenging for Williams as she juggled competing demands of tennis and motherhood. But she seemed to turn a corner during a demanding week in which she played both doubles and singles, turning out on all seven days of the tournament.

She was frequently behind in her matches but showed typical determination to fight her way to the final and overcome Pegula, who ousted former top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki in the semi-finals.