Tennis star Maria Sharapova again tops the list of highest earning female athletes over the past year, according to Forbes.
For the 11th consecutive year, the Russian heads a list dominated by tennis players, who occupy seven of the top 10 spots.
The 28-year-old Sharapova, who won the French Open last year, collected $6.7 million in prize money, but her total estimated earnings were $29.7m (Dh109m), according to Forbes.
The Forbes list also includes earnings from appearances, licensing and endorsements, personal business interests and, in some cases, salary.
World No 1 tennis player Serena Williams is second at $24.6m, while motor racing driver Danica Patrick is the top non-tennis player, in fourth place with $13.9m.
The only other non-tennis players in the top 10 are No 8 Ronda Rousey (mixed martial arts) and No 9 Stacy Lewis (golf).
Tennis is one of the few big-money sports where the earnings of women are somewhat comparable to men, though Sharapova’s income nonetheless was significantly less than the $67m earned by Roger Federer, the top tennis player on the latest Forbes men’s list.
Boxers Floyd Mayweather ($300m) and Manny Pacquiao ($160m) head the latest men’s list, followed by Portugal and Real Madrid football player Cristiano Ronaldo ($79.6m).
The female earnings were calculated from June 1 of last year until the same date in 2015.
TOP 10 EARNING FEMALE ATLHETES OF 2015
1. Maria Sharapova — $29.7m
2. Serena Williams — $24.6m
3. Caroline Wozniacki — $14.6m
4. Danica Patrick — $13.9m
5. Ana Ivanovic — $8.3m
6. Petra Kvitova — $7.7m
7. Simona Halep — $6.8m
8. Ronda Rousey — $6.5m
9. Stacy Lewis — $6.4m
10. Agnieszka Radwanska — $6m
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