Serena Williams tops Sharapova as world's highest paid sportswoman

June 08, 2016 | 10:00

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Two days after her stunning loss to Garbine Muguruza in the French Open final, Serena Williams scored a different win when Forbes Magazine reported she has overtaken Maria Sharapova as the world's highest-paid sportswoman.

Serena Williams (L) stands with her 2016 French Open runner-up trophy next to former US tennis player Billie Jean King and President of the Federation Francaise de Tennis Jean Gachassin, at the Roland Garros in Paris, on June 4, 2016 AFP/Philippe Lopez

LOS ANGELES: Two days after her stunning loss to Garbine Muguruza in the French Open final, Serena Williams scored a different win when Forbes Magazine reported she has overtaken Maria Sharapova as the world's highest-paid sportswoman.

Williams earned US$28.9 million over the past 12 months, the financial magazine reported in an article posted on its website on Monday.

Russian tennis star Sharapova had held the title for the past 11 years.

Williams, 34, has dominated her sport for more than a decade. She won her second Grand Slam in 2002 before going on to win 19 more since then. After falling at Roland Garros on Saturday, she vowed to keep trying to equal Steffi Graf's Open-era record of 22 Grand Slam titles.

Williams's career prize money of US$77.6 million amounts to more than twice as much as any other sportswoman's.

However, Sharapova dominated in endorsement profits before companies including Nike, American Express, Porsche and TAG Heuer distanced themselves after she tested positive for the recently banned drug meldonium earlier this year.

Sharapova earned US$21.9 million over the past 12 months, down almost US$8 million from the previous year, Forbes said.

American mixed martial arts star Ronda Rousey was third on the list with US$14 million, just ahead of NASCAR stock car driver Danica Patrick, who earned US$13.9 million.

AFP

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