Show me the money: Serena Williams breaks WTA season prize mark
November 2, 2009 by jane
Filed under Awards, General, Serena Williams, Tennis
Serena Williams, finishing off her most lucrative year in women’s tennis with a win at the Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha, is again ranked No. 1 in the world.
And with her latest win, Serena has set the record for single-season prize money in women’s tennis by topping $6.5 million in 2009.
Williams broke the WTA mark of slightly under $5.5 million, earned by Justine Henin in 2007.
The American won the season-ending tour championships Sunday, beating older sister Venus in the final, to regain the No. 1 ranking. The younger Williams also won the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2009.
The Doha tournament, which featured the top eight women in the world, saw top-ranked Dinara Safina retire in her first match with a serious back injury, and No. 4 Caroline Wozniacki forced to quit in her semifinal against Serena Williams.
Earlier this year, $erena became the top earning female athlete ever, and with these latest wins her career prize money is now at a record $28.5 million.
Serena remembers earning her first check of $240 at Québec City in 1995 so that’s quite a pay raise!
