World's highest paid female athletes: Serena Williams ends Maria Sharapova's 11-year run to top Forbes's list

American Tennis star Serena Williams has added another feather to her cap, overtaking Russia's Maria Sharapova to become the world's highest paid female athlete according to Forbes. Williams earned $28.9m (£20m) in prize money and endorsements over the past year unseating Sharapova who held the top spot for 11 years.

The 34-year-old who has dominated the field of tennis for more than a decade and a half, won her first Grand Slam way back 1999 and since then has added 20 more titles to her kitty. Williams has earned a staggering $77.6m in career prize money, which is more than twice as much as any other female athlete.

Speaking about Williams, Frank Nakano, head of Sports and Entertainment for JPMorgan Chase said, "There are a number of factors we take into consideration as we're evaluating potential partnerships. Serena's excellence on court, her work in the community and her following in pop culture are a few things which set her apart and are complementary to our brand."

While Williams has been creating history on court, Sharapova has had a disastrous year both on and off it. The Russian star, who admitted to failing a drug test at the Australian Open in January, has lost sponsorship deals and money with brands like Tag Heuer and American Express not renewing their contracts with her. Nonetheless, she still made $21.9m almost $8m more than American Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) star Ronda Rousey.