Sport > World > Lists > Earnings > Forbes > Women > 2016

Here are the top paid women athletes from around the world for 2015-16 according to the figures from Forbes Magazine. Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova has lost her top spot on this list, a mantle she has held since 2005. Another tennis player, Serena Williams is now the highest paid female athlete. Maria Sharapova has recently been banned from playing tennis for 2 years, so her drop from this list will continue.

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Tennis is certainly the sport to play if you are female, with tennis players taking up eight positions in the top 10.

William's earnings of 28.9 million dollars US between July 2015 and July 2016 is still well behind the highest paid male athlete for the same time period, footballers Cristiano Ronaldo, who had combined earnings of 88 million dollars (see highest paid athletes for 2016). Just two women, Williams and Sharapova, made the top 100 list of all athletes.

See more lists of the World's Highest Paid Women Athletes.

Notes

• The earnings totals (in US dollars) are derived from salaries, bonuses, prize money, appearance fees, licensing and endorsement income in the 12 months from May 1, 2015 to May 1, 2016. Taxes or agents' fees are not factored into the figures.

Sources

• From Forbes Magazine's list of "The 10 Highest-Paid Female Athletes" published June 2016

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Related Pages

• Other lists of the World's Highest Paid Women Athletes
• Other Sports Illustrated Lists, including the Fortunate 50 and the International 20
• Most Famous Sportswomen From 2016
• Forbes list of the World's Best Paid Athletes
• More sporting lists