Sharapova tops rating as world's highest paid female athlete

Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova has topped Forbes magazine's highest paid female athletes list for the tenth consecutive time. She has held this position every year since 2004. According to Forbes, over a period of 12 months (from June 2013 to June 2014) Sharapova earned $24.4 million, $22 million  of which came from sponsorship contracts with Nike, Avon, Samsung, Tag Heuer, Evian and Head. The other $2.4 million came from the prizes she won. 

Female tennis players were the most successful in terms of earnings. Two of Sharapova's colleagues stood on the pedestal with her: the Chinese Li Ha, who came in second with $23.6 million, and the American Serena Williams, who finished third with $22 million. In the top ten there are four other tennis players: Belorussian Victoria Azarenko (with $11.1 million, $3.6 of which came in prize money); Danish Caroline Wozniacki (with $10.8 million, $1.3 was prize money); Polish Agnieszka Radwanska ($6.8 million, including $3.8 in prize money); and Ana Ivanovic from Serbia ($6.4 million, including $1.4 in prize money). 

Fourth place on the list was given to South Korean figure skater, 2010 Olympic champion and Sochi 2014 silver medalist Kim Yu Ha. Her income amounted to $16.3 million, with $16 million earned from commercials. American auto racing driver Danica Patrick came in fifth with $15 million.

 Maria Sharapova also topped the list of 50 Russian show biz and sports stars compiled by the Russian edition of Forbes. In 2014 the American version of the magazine also included Sharapova in the list of most brilliant business stars under 30 and in it's ranking (63rd place).

Read more: Sharapova tops Russian celebrity ratings - Forbes

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