Most paid|Top-Earning Tennis Players in the World 2009
No. 1 Roger Federer
Annual earnings: $36 million, Career prize money: $50 million, Grand Slam titles: 15
Federer lost his No. 1 ranking last year to Rafael Nadal, but has rebounded to win three of the last four Grand Slam tournaments and reclaim the top spot. Last year he passed Pete Sampras for most career prize money and this year topped Sampras for most Grand Slam titles. His Nike deal is the sport's most lucrative.
No. 2 Maria Sharapova
Annual earnings: $22.5 million, Career prize money: $12.6 million
Grand Slam titles: Three
Injuries sidelined tennis' glamour queen for much of the past year. She maintains her roster of blue-chip sponsors like Nike, Canon, Tiffany and Land Rover. She also struck a new deal with Unilever to pitch their dandruff shampoo Clear for a reported $2.5 million a year.
No. 3 Rafael Nadal
Annual earnings: $20 million,Career prize money: $25.2 million
Grand Slam titles: Six
At 23 years old, Nadal has already racked up an impressive career with six Grand Slams and $25 million in prize money (fourth all-time). After winning Wimbledon last year, he added three new sponsors including Mapfre, Spain's largest insurer.
No. 4 Serena Williams
Annual earnings: $18 million, Career prize money: $26 million
Grand Slam titles: 11
No one is better than Williams when she is at the top of her game. Her $26 million in career prize money is the highest for any female professional athlete. Williams has many interests outside of tennis; her latest is a minority ownership stake in the Miami Dolphins with sister Venus.
No. 5 Andy Roddick
Annual earnings: $16 million, Career prize money: $16.8 million
Grand Slam titles: One
Roddick has been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Roger Federer has been a roadblock to Roddick, securing more Slam titles. Roddick has made a Slam final four times since his lone win at the 2003 Open and each time Federer beat him.
No. 6 Venus Williams
Annual earnings: $14.5 million ,Career prize money: $23.9 million
Grand Slam titles: Seven
The elder Williams sister won $3.8 million in prize money last year, the highest total in her decorated career. Williams led the fight for women to get equal pay to men at Wimbledon. This became a reality in 2007 and Williams was the first beneficiary when she took home the title.
No. 7 Andy Murray
Annual earnings: $12 million, Career prize money: $8.5 million
Murray was an Open finalist last year and is currently ranked No. 2 in the world. Many expect the 22-year-old Scot to win his first Grand Slam in the near future. A win would provide added exposure to his sponsors, including Fred Perry, Head and the Royal Bank of Scotland.
No. 8 Novak Djokovic
Annual earnings: $10.5 million, Career prize money: $12.9 million
Grand Slam titles: One
The 22-year-old Serb broke through last year when he won the 2008 Australian Open. He parlayed that deal into a lucrative racket deal with Head. Djokovic struggled at the start of this year when he made the switch from a Wilson to Head racket. His Head commercial--featuring pastie-clad women and a recreatedFlashdance scene--was an Internet sensation.
No. 9 Ana Ivanovic
Annual earnings: $8 million, Career prize money: $7 million
Grand Slam titles: One
Last year Ivanovic won her first Grand Slam and grabbed the No. 1 ranking in the world, setting her up for a big payday when her Adidas contract expires this year. But injuries and poor play (including a first-round loss at this year's Open) have slowed the 21-year-old Serb, dented her prize money and damaged any leverage she had with Adidas.
No. 10 James Blake
Annual earnings: $7 million, Career prize money: $6.6 million
Blake's ranking peaked at No. 4 in 2006 and he currently sits No. 23 on the men's Tour. The drop has not deterred sponsors who like his good looks (he was featured in People's "Sexiest Man Alive" issue) and his comeback from a 2004 season where he broke his neck, developed shingles and lost his father to cancer.
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