Show me the money: Serena Williams breaks WTA season prize mark

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!

Cincinnati Cyclocross Festival offers $10,000 women’s prize

It’s tough to make a living as a professional athlete. Even tougher when you’re female.

So it comes as good news that organizers of Cincinnati UCI3 Cyclocross Festival are offering an unprecedented $10,000 women’s prize purse for the three-day UCI event on October 9-11.  The $10,000 in prize money for the weekend will be just a portion of the nearly $27,000 in published prize money for the weekend of races.

“I think it’s awesome that the Cincinnati weekend has so much prize money for the women,” says five-time U.S. cyclocross champion Katie Compton, who has already committed to the event.  “I think it’s the only weekend of my cross season where I have the potential to cover travel expenses and actually make money.  That’s one of the reasons why I continue to come back to Ohio for the three-race weekend.  Not only are the courses super fun and the promoters, racers and spectators awesome; but the prize money is the best all year for women.  We have to continue to support the races that pay the women and continue to fight for equal pay out.  Just looking at the C1 prize list for women compared to men makes me angry.  It’s just not right that the women make $250 for a win when the men’s winner makes over $2,000.  It costs us the same amount of money to get to the races and we work just as hard and we should be equally rewarded.”

Compton will also be hosting a special women’s-only cyclocross clinic in Cincinnati on the Wednesday prior to the Festival.  It’s a unique opportunity for women of all ages and abilities to learn the sport from the most accomplished cyclocross racer in American history.  “I want to encourage women to come out and learn new things, or get a refresher on skills they already have,” said Compton of her goals for the clinic.  “A little practice in the early season always helps.”  Joining Compton in teaching the clinic will be Compton’s husband and mechanic, Mark Legg-Compton.  Junior women will receive a 47% discount when they register for the Katie Compton Clinic through the Cincinnati International Cyclocross Festival registration page on BikeReg.com.

Pretty cool!

Money no object; Pay raise for tennis players

October 8, 2008 – In tough economic times, it’s hard to find anyone giving pay raises these days but organizers of the Australian Open have announced that men’s and women’s singles winners will be receiving an 18 percent increase.

The 2009 Australian Open will offer $US 15.6 million in prize money.

While 2008 champions Maria Sharapova and Novak Djokovic each won $US 970,000, next year’s trophy-holders will carry off a comfortable  $US 1.15 million apiece based on current exchange rates (11.5 million euros).

To rake in more television money and pay the increased bills, the women are headed to a night final, sure to bolster viewer numbers and make the event the only major to play both championship matches under the lights.

We’re guessing that admission prices will also increase.

The Australian Open, the year’s first Grand Slam event, will be held Jan. 19-Feb. 1, 2009.

Kerri Walsh joins the Million Dollar Club

July 25, 2006: In a span of just two months the AVP has seen three of its athletes reach the million dollar plateau in prize money earned. The 2006 AVP Crocs Tour began with just one American women in Beach Volleyball history who had earned over $1,000,000 in her career. Holly McPeak, the winningest player in history with 72 titles has won over $1,400,000 in her career.

Misty May-Treanor became the second member of the million dollar club at the Cuervo Gold Crown Huntington Beach Open over Memorial Day Weekend. On the Fourth of July weekend on the Jersey Shore, Elaine Youngs became the third member.

To become the fourth member in front of a packed house and LIVE on NBC, Kerri  Walsh would have to win the AVP McDonald’s Chicago Open presented by Nautica. Walsh stood up to the challenge as she and partner May-Treanor swept every opponent they faced in the windy city and won at least one game in each match by seven or more points.

“She helped me get to the million-dollar mark, so I had to help her get to the million-dollar mark,” May-Treanor told NBC, which broadcast the finals for the first time this season.

Walsh is the fastest person to reach $1 million in the world; 18 people worldwide hav done it, but none in so few tournaments. She is also one of four who made it there before turning 28.

 ”I think it’s fabulous because by her being the fastest, you can see how the sport has changed…how the money has changed,” May-Treanor said. “It’s a great stride for women’s sports,” May-Treanor added.