Serena Shows Love to Haiti, Turns Negative into Positive

Take Sony Ericsson WTA Tour world No. 1 Serena Williams for instance.

Williams was vilified by everyone from tennis TV analysts, to critics spanning the globe following her mostly justified berating of an overzealous linesperson at last year's U.S. Open.

Talking tennis heads, bloggers and enemies of Williams called for all sort of punishments for her tirade from jailing her for attempted murder threats (yes, really), banishing her from one Grand Slam tournament to fining her an insanely large amount of money (which is what ended up happening).

Well, Williams has bounced back from that incident better than one of her powerful ground strokes and has used what some meant for evil to turn it into good.

The strongest female tennis player ever, Williams has turned her punishment into an opportunity to do good for others that can't help themselves right now.

Williams created an online auction of some of her treasured memorabilia and personal clothing in order to raise $92,000 (the same amount she was fined) for Haiti earthquake victims, as well as schools and charities.

Williams however, hasn't gotten nearly the attention for her charitable efforts as she did for a once-in-a-career meltdown that many, including myself, feel was terribly justified.

"The purpose of the mission is to turn a negative into a positive by educating and helping women, men and children so that they have a fighting chance," Williams writes on the Web site of her charity, the Serena Williams Foundation.

Williams kicked off her ebay.com auction on Monday with several items guaranteed to fetch some high prices, including an autographed pair of sneakers that she wore during her run to the 2009 Australian Open title, her 2008 Olympic team dress and a Phoenix Suns jersey signed by two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash.

Williams announced the auction in December, shortly after she was fined a record $82,500 for committing an offense that many others, including American great John McEnroe, routinely pulled off without as much as a reprimand.

Williams also paid a $10,000 penalty to the United States Tennis Association.

Williams said the idea for the auction came after the International Tennis Federation denied her request to donate a portion of her fine to charity.

The auction will run for 92 days, with new items up for sale each week.

The proceeds were originally designated for schools in the United States and Africa, but Williams decided last week to direct some of the money to victims of Haiti's devastating earthquake.