Sharapova top earning female athlete: Forbes

MUMBAI: Maria Sharapova has emerged as the top most earning female athlete for the eighth year in a row, according to Forbes list of World?s Highest-Paid Female Athletes.

Incidentally, the top 10 list is dominated by Tennis players with as many as seven of them making it to the top 10.

The 25-year-old French Open champion earned an estimated $27.1 million from July 2011-July 2012. A large chunk of that revenue comes from brand endorsements followed by prize money.

China?s Li Na doubled her earnings to $18.4 million from $8 million in last year?s survey due to her victory in 2011 French Open. Li Na had moved to world number 11 due to her French Open win.

Third on the list is Serena Williams with earnings of $16.3 million followed by Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark with $13.7 million.

Other Tennis players in the top 10 are current world number one tennis player Victoria Azarenka ($9.7 million) of Belarus, Ana Ivanovic ($7.2 million) of Serbia and Poland?s Agnieszka Radwanska ($6.9 million).

Only three non-tennis players figure in top 10 which includes NASCAR?s Danica Patrick at fifth spot with $13 million earnings. South Korea?s women?s Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yu-na was at seventh with $9 million of earnings while Taiwanese world number one golfer Yani Tseng was 10th with $6.1 million.

Top five women earners:

1. Maria Sharapova, tennis, $27.1 million.
2. Li Na, tennis, $18.4 million.
3. Serena Williams, tennis, 16.3 million.
4. Caroline Wozniacki, tennis, $13.7 million.
5. Danica Patrick, motor racing, $13 million.