- Legendary tennis star Serena Williams announced her retirement from the sport in Vogue on Tuesday.
- The tennis icon was the second-highest paid female athlete last year, earning $45.9 million, according to Forbes.
- She's won more prize money over her career than any other female tennis player, totaling over $94.5 million.
Tennis star Serena Williams announced her retirement from the sport Tuesday, with plans to focus on business and her family after this year's US Open.
With her playing career coming to a close, Williams leaves behind a historic legacy. The tennis legend has won 23 Grand Slam titles, making Williams the most successful female tennis player of the Open era — and has earned millions of dollars.
Williams also holds the top spot for prize money earned in the sport among women, cashing in over $94.5 million.
In second place all-time is her sister, Venus Williams, who has earned over $42.2 million during her career.
But Williams also earns millions of dollars outside of playing with endorsement deals.
Last year, Forbes ranked her as the second-highest paid female athlete overall. Only $0.9 million of her 2021 earnings came from time on the court, while she earned $45 million in other ventures, Forbes reported.
Some of those earnings came from high-profile sponsors such as Nike, Gatorade, and DirecTV, according to Forbes. But Williams also found success in her own ventures — including working as an executive producer on "King Richard" and investing in companies through her venture capital firm Serena Ventures.
In a column for Vogue announcing her retirement, Williams said her focus has been shifting toward Serena Ventures.
The six-person firm has already invested in some successful start-ups, including MasterClass, Noom, and Impossible Foods — all of which have been valued at over $1 billion.