Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, and Justine Henin have more in common than simply playing tennis.

According to Forbes, these four women are the top earning female athletes in the world.

Maria Sharapova leads the list of the highest earning female sports figures with an endorsement portfolio that includes big names such as Pepsi, Colgate-Palmolive, Nike, Canon and Motorola. Her total earnings are now estimated at $26 million per year.

Before Sharapova became a teenage sensation in 2004, Serena Williams held the distinction of being the richest female athlete. Now, eight years later, she is second behind Sharapova, but still brings home $14 million.

2008 Wimbledon champion Venus Williams is just behind her younger sister Serena with $13 million. Part of her earnings can be attributed to her successful EleVen line, although this could be threatened by Steve & Barry’s recent filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Coming in at fourth place on the top earning list is the newly-retired Justine Henin. Forbes estimates Henin’s yearly worth at $12.5 million—$5 million of which she earned by winning titles in 2007.

Rising star and current world number one Ana Ivanovic made the list at No. 9 with $6.5 million dollars.

‘Journey to Beijing – Tennis celebrates the Olympics’, a 140-page publication which features a series of specially commissioned photographs of the game’s top names dressed as athletes from other summer or winter Olympic sports.

These are accompanied by interviews with the players talking about their Olympic memories and hopes for Beijing.

Among the 44 players represented in the book is current world number one Ana Ivanovic, who is shown playing beach volleyball.

Maria Sharapova takes time out from a photo shoot to try rhythmic gymnastics in Los
Angeles, while Serena Williams demonstrates her ice skating abilities at home in
Palm Beach.

Amelie Mauresmo appears as a sprinter, Lindsay Davenport plays volleyball, Elena Dementieva showcases her skills as a softball player, and Svetlana Kuznetsova takes up snowboarding for a day.

The photographs were taken over a six-month period by some of the world’s leading tennis photographers, with photo shoots held in venues as varied as Barcelona, Beijing, Dubai, Indian Wells, Los Angeles, Miami, Melbourne, Moscow, Netherlands, Palm Beach, Santiago, Shanghai and Tel Aviv.

The players also give an insight into the part the Olympics has played in their lives,
with a series of exclusive interviews looking at their childhood memories, previous
Olympic appearances and ambitions for this summer’s Games.

“I believe the book shows how proud current tennis players are to represent their countries in the Olympic Games as well as the importance the Olympics has played in their lives,” ITF Francesco Ricci Bitti said in the ITF’s announcement.

“In turn, we have witnessed the continued growth, not only of the Olympic Tennis Event, but also of the international reach of our sport since tennis returned to the Olympic Games in 1988.”

To view an online edition of this book, please visit here.

Ivanovic is assured of holding onto the top spot because of the early losses of Maria Sharapova, Jelena Jankovic, and Svetlana Kuznetsova at the Championships.

The battle for No. 1 has been close since Justine Henin’s retirement and subsequent removal from the computer rankings. Although Ivanovic lost in the third round at Wimbledon, she holds a large enough point lead to remain No. 1.

Jelena Jankovic is projected to rise back to No. 2 behind Ivanovic, while Maria Sharapova will fall to No. 3, or potentially No. 4 if Elena Dementieva wins the title.

The 2008 French Open champion was upset in straight sets 6-1, 6-4 by 133rd-ranked Zheng Jie of China.

Ivanovic, the current world number one, barely escaped her second round match against Nathalie Dechy on Wednesday, but today she was not lucky enough to escape with a mediocre performance.

Zheng, often known as a doubles specialist, played near perfect tennis and posted only ten unforced errors during the match. It was the biggest singles win of her career, having never before beaten a Top 10 player.

Some of the best moments of Zheng’s career have come on the lawns at Wimbledon, including the 2006 women’s doubles title with countrywoman Zi Yan.

Ivanovic’s loss threatens her status at the top of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.

Four players–Ivanovic, Maria Sharapova, Jelena Jankovic, and Svetlana Kuznetsova–entered the tournament with an opportunity to finish as the number one player in the world. After five days of competition, only two of the top four seeds are still alive in the women’s draw.

Ivanovic battled back to win the second round match 6-7(2), 7-6(3), 10-8 after over three hours of play.

Dechy held two match points against Ivanovic in the second set, but determination and the help of a lucky netcord on the second match point helped Ivanovic remain alive.

It was a brilliant performance by both players, especially Dechy, a former Top 15 player now ranked at No. 97.

Ivanovic, who is attempting to win her second consecutive Grand Slam title and hold onto the No. 1 ranking, will play China’s Jie Zheng in the third round.

We recently asked our readers at On the Baseline to submit their tennis questions for world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic.

Read Ana’s answers in the follow-up article to our exclusive chat with the 2008 French Open champion.

Hi Ana,
In addition to your recent success in claiming the No. 1 spot on the WTA Tour, I read that in September 2007, you began studying Finance at Singidunum-FEFA, a private university which allows you to take exams online. How do you manage the pressures of both a full-time tennis career and an education? Thank you and congrats! - Paula Vergara

Yes, I’m studying when I’m on the road. It’s hard to find the time, and I’m not always in the mood, but education is very important to me, and I’m determined to finish my course.

I study in my room at the hotel, and I can do exams over the Internet. Maybe when I retire from tennis I can do more studying, when I have more time.

I’m curious about what string you use, along with the tension. Do you string your racquets different tensions based on surface or weather conditions? Thanks! P.S. Congrats on the French Open and number 1 ranking. You will always be my number 1. – Rana

I use gut in the mains and synthetic string across. Yes, I change the tension according to different surfaces and conditions, but I must admit I don’t know much about it!

I trust the advice of my coaches on that, but I’m learning more about it. Around 25 kilos is a good tension for me in most conditions - it varies from 24.5 to 26.5.

Hey Ana,
My question is, what really motivated you to play tennis in a place where tennis didn’t used to be that big, because that’s where I live right now—a place where tennis is not that big. Thanks so much! I’m a big fan of yours! - Crystal Lam

I just saw it on TV and it looked like so much fun. Then when I first played I loved it straight away. There’s no real explanation - I was just attracted to it.

What was the hardest thing for you to sacrifice to become a successful professional tennis player? – Marija Zivlak

I don’t like to think about sacrifices - I see it as some necessary steps that I took in order to achieve my goals.

So of course I wasn’t able to do some things that other kids did when they were young, but for me it was never a problem, and I never felt I was missing out on anything. I had a great time when I was a kid, and I’ll always be grateful for the opportunities I was given.

For more information about Ana Ivanovic, please visit www.anaivanovic.com.

Top seed Ana Ivanovic aims to keep her back-to-back Grand Slam title pursuit alive as she faces France’s Nathalie Dechy on Wednesday.

Tania’s Picks for Wednesday

1 – Ana Ivanovic (SRB) vs. Nathalie Dechy (FRA)
No signs of the yips yet from the racket of Ivanovic, who lost only three games in the previous round. She won 76% of the points off her 1st serve and looks quite convincing on grass. Nathalie Dechy pulled through her match against Meng Yuan of China, despite producing an unflattering 32 unforced errors. Ivanovic should be too good for the Frenchwoman.
Ana Ivanovic in 2 sets

4 – Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) vs. Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR)
Both girls struggled in their first round matches, needing three sets to dispose of their opponents. Bondarenko has not had a great singles record at the Grand Slam level. She has a potential clash with sister Alona in the third round if she is successful here, and this will likely serve as a motivation to progress.

Svetlana has reached the quarters previously, and based on her semifinal showing in France, will similarly be keen to move into the second week at Wimbledon, despite her inconsistency at times.
Svetlana Kuznetsova in 2 sets

18 – Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) vs. Samantha Stosur (AUS)
Nicole and Sam only lost four games in their respective matches; each progressing through quite comfortably. Nicole’s form has been shaky of late, evident in her first round loss at the French Open. The Czech is however a past quarterfinalist at The Championships. Stosur has not played this well for some time and coming off a semifinal appearance at Eastbourne last week, expect an upset here.
Samantha Stosur in 3 sets

29 – Amelie Mauresmo vs. Virginia Ruano Pascual (ESP)
Mauresmo beat American Ashley Harkleroad in the first round and now faces Ruano Pascual in the second round. Virginia is an established doubles player (winning 9 Grand slam doubles titles) but should not cause Amelie any trouble here. Despite the Frenchwoman’s slip in the seedings this year, she should move into the next round.
Amelie Mauresmo in 2 sets

She Said What?

Lindsay Davenport about her injured knee:
“It’s been bothering me now for a few weeks. It’s coming more from the back of the knee. Did an MRI and it looked good. In the latter stages of the second set I definitely felt like it was getting worse. I didn’t feel great in the third. Luckily I was able to, you know, hit some good shots and go for winners.

I actually felt like I started hitting the ball a little bit better because I felt like I needed to do more with it. I’m just hoping it pulls up well. Some days it feels okay, and other days it is a problem. This morning it was definitely more swollen and a little bit of a problem. Two days ago it felt perfect. It’s frustrating. I’m not really sure what to say every day.”

What Else is Happening at Wimbledon?

The Places to Be
Steve Tignor at Tennis Elbow gives a first-hand look at the courts of Wimbledon.

Tennis stars visit new Habitat for Humanity homes in Peckham
Agnes Szavay and Maria Kirilenko helped deliver Whirlpool products to be installed in new Habitat for Humanity homes.

USA Television Schedule

Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Early Round Day 3 - ESPN2 - 7:00 am - 5:00 pm (LIVE)

*All times are Eastern.

A few players dazzled, but the rest reminded us that the largest room in the world is the room for improvement.

(1) Ana Ivanovic
The top seed remains a class act, both off and on the court. While I’m not convinced that she can beat the Williams sisters or Sharapova on these fast lawns, Ivanovic looks like an easy lock to reach the semifinals.

(2) Jelena Jankovic
As unbelievable as it may seem, Jelena Jankovic has actually headed to Wimbledon rested and healthy. She resisted the urge to compete at Birmingham, Eastbourne, or s’-Hertogenbosch, which means that she might actually last ten days without reciting a litany of aches and pains.

(3) Maria Sharapova
It was a solid opening round performance for the former champion, although she did struggle a little in the second set. On the fashion front, I found myself agreeing with Brad Gilbert for the first time in a long while as I’m also not impressed with the tuxedo shorts look.

(4) Svetlana Kuznetsova
About the only thing positive to say about Kuznetsova’s first round match is that she somehow managed to win. Kuznetsova’s inconsistency continues to hurt her at majors and if her opening match is any indication of the future, she’ll be out before the week is over.

(5) Elena Dementieva
At the time this was published, Dementieva was the only seed still battling in the first round. When the match was suspended on Tuesday, Dementieva held a 6-3, 3-3 lead over Maria Elena Camerin. Most impressively, she has a 74% first serve percentage and zero double faults.

(6) Serena Williams
Kaia Kanepi was a tough customer for Serena in the opening round, but after shaking off some excess rust, the former champ still escaped in two sets. I’m not going to label it a shoddy performance, but Serena has plenty of room for improvement.

(7) Venus Williams
Compared to her first round last season, Venus did well to shut Naomi Cavaday down in the tiebreak. Still, like her sister, she needs another few rounds to hit her groove.

(8) Anna Chakvetadze
For about 30 minutes on Monday, I thought we’d see a double Russian exit with the upsets of Kuznetsova and Chakvetadze. Both women lived to fight another day, but given Chakvetadze’s lack of confidence, she might not be so fortunate next time.

(9) Dinara Safina
It is too early to tell if Safina’s upset in the final at the Ordina Open was a momentary fluke or a sign of exhaustion. If it is the latter, she’ll have a tough task ahead of her with Dementieva, Shahar Peer, and an injured, but still dangerous Lindsay Davenport in her quarter.

(10) Daniela Hantuchova
Big accolades go to Hantuchova, who successfully returned to the Tour with a straight sets victory over Sara Errani after spending two months on the injured list.

Helmed by No. 2 Jelena Jankovic, the bottom half also includes 2004 champion Maria Sharapova, 1999 winner Lindsay Davenport, and four-time champion Venus Williams.

Venus and Serena Williams are on opposite sides of the draw, potentially leading to an All-Williams championship match. They have not met at Wimbledon since the final in 2003 which Serena won in three sets.

Three first round matches merit close watching during the opening two days of play. Serena Williams, a two-time winner at Wimbledon, is expected to begin her campaign against Kaia Kanepi, a quarterfinalist earlier this month at the French Open.

Defending champion Venus Williams pulled British hopeful and wild card Naomi Cavaday, and should 2006 champion Amelie Mauresmo recover from her thigh injury in time to compete, she will face resurgent American Ashley Harkleroad in the first round.

First Look at the Top Eight Wimbledon Seeds

(1) Ana Ivanovic (First Round: Rossana De Los Rios)
Top seed Ana Ivanovic’s recent accolades include winning her first Grand Slam at Roland Garros, along with taking the No. 1 ranking away from Maria Sharapova, but like many of the other top players, her preparation for Wimbledon did not include any actual matches.

This will be a new experience for Ivanovic, who has never entered a Grand Slam as a top seed or faced the pressure of being expected to win. She has a relatively good draw and should have a clear shot to the quarterfinals, where she could play eighth seed Anna Chakvetadze.
Prediction: Semifinals

(2) Jelena Jankovic (First Round: Olga Savchuk)
The personable Jelena Jankovic is quickly becoming the Tour’s best bridesmaid. She has stood at the Grand Slam altar four times in the semifinals, but has not been able to win just one more round to reach a Championship.

Her personality has brought her more fans than her results of late, and although she is seeded No. 2, this could be her toughest draw at a Grand Slam. If the draw holds, she’ll play defending champion Venus Williams in the quarterfinals, and if she wins that match, her reward may be a semifinal against Maria Sharapova.
Prediction: Runner-up

(3) Maria Sharapova (First Round: Stephanie Foretz)
The biggest question surrounding Maria Sharapova is not whether she can win her fourth Grand Slam title, but will her serve even lead her into the second week of the tournament. She had a disappointing run at the French Open and produced some of her worst serving since suffering a shoulder injury in 2007. I can’t see Sharapova going far on the fast lawns at Wimbledon if she duplicates her Paris statistic of forty-three double faults in just four rounds.

Sharapova is in the toughest quarter of the draw with Elena Dementieva, Dinara Safina, Nadia Petrova, rising star Victoria Azarenka, and experienced veteran Lindsay Davenport.
Prediction: Semifinals

(4) Svetlana Kuznetsova (First Round: Mathilde Johansson)
Calling Kuznetsova’s draw tough might be an understatement. If the seedings hold Kuznetsova will play Alona Bondarenko in the third round, one of the most talented young women rising through the Tour ranks and a player who has beaten Kuznetsova in both of their previous meetings.

If the Russian makes it to the fourth round, she could then play Grand Slam giant-killer Agnieszka Radwanska, followed by Serena Williams in the quarterfinals. Given Kuznetsova’s recent inconsistency and her 6-2, 6-2 loss to Caroline Wozniacki at Eastbourne, she could become the first top player to fall in the first week.
Prediction: Quarterfinals

(5) Elena Dementieva (First Round: Maria Elena Camerin)
Not surprising given the speed of grass and her own serve struggles, Elena Dementieva has never been a major contender at Wimbledon. After looking at her draw, don’t expect that to change this year.

She is in the same tough quarter as Sharapova and could face Lindsay Davenport in the third round. While Dementieva can handily outrun Davenport, Lindsay will have the advantage in the service department. Lindsay’s serve has led her to seven consecutive second week appearances at the Championships, and although she is not yet her old self, Davenport has a legitimate chance at making her streak extend to eight.
Prediction: Fourth round

(6) Serena Williams (First Round: Kaia Kanepi)
Serena Williams could have a tough first round encounter with Kaia Kanepi, but after that, I like her chances of emerging victorious from the top half of the draw. She has a trio of inconsistent top players in her quarter, namely Svetlana Kuznetsova, Amelie Mauresmo, and Marion Bartoli.

Kuznetsova has a draw that will give her nightmares before she heads home, Mauresmo is nursing a thigh injury, and although Bartoli is currently still alive in the draw at Eastbourne, she previously lost three straight first round matches.
Prediction: Champion

(7) Venus Williams (First Round: Naomi Cavaday)
Defending champion Venus Williams is in the tough half of the draw, but she should easily set up a fourth round meeting against Daniela Hantuchova—if Hantuchova’s foot holds up that long. The Slovakian has been off the Tour since April because of a stress fracture in her right heel.

If Hantuchova is fully recovered, she might be able to pressure Venus, but I would expect the best match of the bottom half to come in the quarterfinals between Venus and Jelena Jankovic. Jankovic holds a surprising 4-3 record over the four-time champion and was the last player to defeat Venus at Wimbledon.
Prediction: Quarterfinals

(8) Anna Chakvetadze (First Round: Stephanie Dubois)
If you are looking for a surprise at Wimbledon, keep your eye on Chakvetadze.

The 21-year old Russian has reportedly started working with Carlos Rodriguez and although Rodriquez never coached Justine Henin to a Wimbledon title, he might be able to help Chakvetadze reach the second week for the first time in her career.
Prediction: Quarterfinals

To view a real-time copy of the 2008 Wimbledon draw, please visit the official website.

If you have not yet sent us your question for the French Open champion, visit here for more information.