Serena passes suspended Sharapova as top woman earner

[June 07, 2016]  (Reuters) - Serena Williams may have been second best at the French Open on Saturday 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 number one women's money earner in sports by hauling in $28.9 million in combined prize money and off-field earnings over the past 12 months, the magazine said on Monday.

Sharapova, who 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 $21.9 million.

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 $13.9 million, according to www.forbes.com.

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

Serena Williams (USA) in action during her match against Garbine Muguruza (ESP) on day 14 of the 2016 French Open. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports

Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska ranked fifth at $10.2 million followed by Dane Caroline Wozniacki ($8 million), Spain's newly-crowned French Open champion Garbine Muguruza ($7.6 million), Serb Ana Ivanovic ($7.4 million), Victoria Azarenka of Belarus ($6.6) and Canada's Eugenie Bouchard ($6.2 million).

(Reporting by Larry Fine in New York; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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