Serena Williams ends Maria Sharapova’s 11-year rich list reign

MARIA Sharapova was never a match for Serena Williams on the tennis court, and now Serena has toppled the Russian superstar off the court as well.

Maria Sharapova addresses the media regarding a failed drug test.

SERENA Williams may have been second best at the French Open but the American has moved ahead of fellow tennis player Maria Sharapova to top the women’s earnings list in sports, according to Forbes Magazine.

Williams ended the Russian’s 11-year reign as the world No. 1 women’s money earner in sports by hauling in $US28.9 million ($A39.22 million) in combined prizemoney and off-field earnings during the past 12 months, the magazine said on Monday.

The latest earnings new may assuage Serena Williams’ disappointment at losing the women's final match against Spain's Garbine Muguruza.

Forbes.com reports that Williams’ triumphant 2015 tennis season, including a trio of Grand Slam titles and only three losses in 56 matches was a big earner. The wins and year-end No. 1 ranking triggered lucrative bonuses from sponsors like Nike and Wilson. She also banked several million dollars through appearance fees from the Indian Premier Tennis League and events in New York, Puerto Rico and Belgium.

Maria Sharapova promotes her ‘Sugarpova’ brand at the Chicago Sweets & Snacks Expo on May 24, 2016.

Sharapova, lost some sponsorship money after announcing she had tested positive for the recently banned substance meldonium at the Australian Open in January and is provisionally suspended, holds second spot at $US21.9 million.

Sharapova’s sponsors ran for cover following the positive doping test, with Tag Heuer ending discussions on a renewal for a deal that expired in December. American Express did not pick up the option year on her deal signed in 2015. Nike and Porsche both suspended promotional plans with the Russian-born player, but neither terminated their contracts.

Ronda Rousey appears on the cover of the 2016 Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. Picture: Sports Illustrated/Frederic Pinet

American mixed martial arts standout Ronda Rousey shot up to third on the list at $14 million from eighth place and $6.5 million, just ahead of compatriot and NASCAR driver Danica Patrick, who earned $US13.9 million, according to forbes.com.

The rest of the women’s top 10 were also tennis players.

Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska ranked fifth at $US10.2 million followed by Dane Caroline Wozniacki ($US8 million), Spain’s newly crowned French Open champion Garbine Muguruza ($US7.6 million), Serb Ana Ivanovic ($US7.4 million), Victoria Azarenka of Belarus ($US6.6 million) and Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard ($US6.2 million).

Originally published as Serena Williams ends Maria Sharapova’s 11-year rich list reign