Serena Williams earns twice as a lot as Venus as rivals within the mud

Eight months after Serena Williams referred to as time on her unbelievable tennis profession, the sporting icon continues to take care of one main report on the WTA Tour. The 23-time Grand Slam champion is the all-time chief in prize cash on the ladies’s circuit, incomes greater than double in comparison with her sister Venus, who’s in second place.

Williams introduced her resolution to “evolve away from tennis” in an emotional letter in Vogue journal final August, taking part in her ultimate match on the US Open. The 41-year-old reached the third spherical earlier than bowing out to Ajla Tomljanovic and hanging up her racket.

The former world No 1 had principally been out of motion for the final 12 months of her profession, injuring herself simply six video games into her opening match at Wimbledon 2021 and returning 12 months later within the doubles at Eastbourne. But it hasn’t affected her reign on the prime of the WTA’s all-time earners record, as Williams’ rivals are tens of hundreds of thousands away from coming shut.

On the WTA’s profession prize cash chief standings from April 24, Williams nonetheless sits atop the pile with £75,707,840 ($94,816,730) to her title all through her taking part in years. It’s greater than double that of her sister Venus, who’s second behind Serena with £33.9m ($42.4m) to her title.

And it doesn’t embody the youthful Williams sister’s profitable alternatives away from tennis – as she has quite a lot of corporations together with Serena Ventures, the place she invests in startups. The 41-year-old was second on Forbes record of highest-paid feminine athletes in 2022, with Naomi Osaka taking the highest spot.

She earned £36.6m ($45.9m) in 2021 regardless of taking part in simply six tour occasions, that means nearly all of her cash got here from exploits exterior of the court docket. But even on the court docket, it would take one thing particular for her report of profession prize cash ever to be outdone.

Simona Halep is third on the record behind the Williams sisters, racking up £32.1m ($40.2m) in her taking part in profession which has seen her win two Majors and peak at No 1 on the earth. And one other retired star in Maria Sharapova is the fourth highest-earner on the tour with £30.9m ($38.7m) in winnings from her 19-year profession.