Forbes magazine said that Williams’ annual earnings of just under $29 million make her the highest-paid female athlete in the world, ending Sharapova’s 11-year run in the top spot on the Forbes list.
Forbes said she earned $28.9 million over the past 12 months, and a total of $77.6 million in prize money over the course of her career. Williams has won 36 major titles, including 21 Grand Slam singles titles, and is considered by many as the greatest female athlete of all time. On top of that, the tennis star is marketing gold; right now, she trails only LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers in consumer perception of current sports stars, Forbes said. Over the years, she has collected sponsorships and endorsements from a diverse array of companies including Nike, Pepsi and JPMorgan Chase, and Forbes put her income from these activities at around $20 million.
Forbes said she earned $28.9 million over the past 12 months, and a total of $77.6 million in prize money over the course of her career. Williams has won 36 major titles, including 21 Grand Slam singles titles, and is considered by many as the greatest female athlete of all time. On top of that, the tennis star is marketing gold; right now, she trails only LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers in consumer perception of current sports stars, Forbes said. Over the years, she has collected sponsorships and endorsements from a diverse array of companies including Nike, Pepsi and JPMorgan Chase, and Forbes put her income from these activities at around $20 million.