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.

The 2004 champion was beaten 6-2, 6-4 in the second round on Thursday.

This was Sharapova’s earliest exit at a Grand Slam since the 2003 US Open, where she lost in the second round to Emilie Loit. At the time, Sharapova was ranked at No. 54.

It was a shocking loss for the three-time Grand Slam champion, who struggled to keep the ball in play and her serves out of the net.

“I guess it wasn’t my day,” Sharapova said after the defeat. “She just did everything better than I did.”

Sharapova’s eighth double-fault gave Kudryavtseva her first match point at 5-4 in the second set. Kudryavtseva, the 154th-ranked player in the world, hit a cross court winner behind Sharapova to close out the match after just 84 minutes of play.

Alla Kudryavtseva will face China’s Shuai Peng in the third round.

But Sharapova will wait at least another four years before receiving the honor of carrying Russia’s flag at the Olympics.

According to Russian tennis head Shamil Tarpishchev, Sharapova offered to be a flag bearer at Beijing, but was turned down.

The rationale was simple; Tarpischev did not want her to be tired before the tournament even began.

“She wanted to be a flag-bearer [on August 8] but I advised against it,” Tarpischev said in comments reported by Reuters.

“I don’t want her to spend three or four hours in hot weather waiting to march in the opening ceremony. We want her to be fresh, not tired, during her matches.”

Sharapova will not be the player holding her nation’s flag during the Opening Ceremonies, but she is expected to be Russia’s top contender for the gold medal.

Svetlana Kuznetsova, former silver medalist Elena Dementieva, and Dinara Safina have also been named to the Russian Olympic team for the singles event.

Watch Venus and Lindsay, as well as Maria Sharapova and Jelena Jankovic on day four at the 2008 Wimbledon Championships.

Tania’s Picks for Thursday

2 – Jelena Jankovic (SRB) vs. Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP)
Jelena has performed well on the Grand Slam stage this year, reaching the semifinals in both Australia and France. She hit the tennis circuit prior to countrywoman Ana Ivanovic, however Ana was the first to snare a major.

Suarez Navarro will be keen to perform well, coming off her quarterfinals berth at the French Open. Jankovic’s biggest vulnerability is her attackable 1st serve—it is prone to inconsistency and the Spaniard will likely attempt to expose this weakness. Jelena should, however, be too strong from the back of the court.
Jelena Jankovic in 2 sets

3 – Maria Sharapova (RUS) vs. Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS)
Maria overpowered a French qualifier in the previous round, losing only five games in the process. Unveiling her tuxedo outfit on day two of competition, there were no signs of nerves or problems from her lack of match practice on grass. Her next opponent is Kudryavtseva from Russia. This should be another straight forward victory for the number three seed.
Maria Sharapova in 3 sets

9 – Dinara Safina (RUS) vs. Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE)
Despite a tough first set tiebreaker in Safina’s first round match, she looked ominous defeating Chan in two sets. She now faces another girl from Chinese Taipei in Su-Wei Hsieh. Hsieh finally won her first match at Wimbledon after two previous attempts, however her celebration will be a fleeting one—Safina will win convincingly.
Dinara Safina in 2 sets

22 – Flavia Pennetta (ITA) vs. Ai Sugiyama (JPN)
At 57 consecutive appearances, Ai Sugiyama holds this record in a major by a man or a woman. She progressed into the second round here by defeating Wickmayer of Belgium, winning 72% of points off her 1st serve. Ai likes the grass and has performed well at Wimbledon in the past.

Meanwhile, Pennetta’s best results have come from the Championships, reaching the round of 16 in 2005 and 2006. The 22nd seed has had mixed results ever since.
Ai Sugiyama in 3 sets

She Said What?

Ana Ivanovic about kissing the net after winning her second round match on Wednesday:
“I just went to kiss the net because, like I said, I felt so lucky. If it wasn’t for that net and that place, you know, I would be booking my flight, you know, back home. I felt so, so lucky to be through today because, like I said, she played really well and, yeah, didn’t make me feel like I was playing good.”

What Else is Happening at Wimbledon?

Wimbledon under fire for pigeon cull
PETA is upset because Wimbledon hired sharpshooters to dispose of pigeons.

Ai Sugiyama captures Grand Slam record at Wimbledon
Ai Sugiyama has set a new record for the most consecutive appearances at a major tournament.

USA Television Schedule

Thursday, June 26, 2008
Early Round Day 4 - ESPN2 - 7:00 am - 2:30 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.

Instead of competing at one of the traditional warm-up events at Birmingham or Eastbourne, Sharapova will arrive at Wimbledon fresh—and without any matches on grass.

Sharapova, the 2004 Wimbledon champion, has previously competed for the past five seasons at the Tier III tournament in Birmingham.

“One of Maria’s favourite times of the year is starting now and that is the grass season,” wrote a spokesperson on Maria’s official website.

“Maria will have a different schedule this year to previous years and not play her usual warm-up in Birmingham, instead she will just focus on Wimbledon.”

The women’s field at Wimbledon will be extremely competitive, even with the absence of Justine Henin.

Five former champions are expected to be in the main draw, namely Sharapova, Serena Williams, Lindsay Davenport, Amelie Mauresmo, and last year’s winner Venus Williams.

The 2008 Qatar Telecom German Open champion reached the quarterfinals at the French Open on Monday with a thrilling three set win over top seed Maria Sharapova.

In an impressive display of courage and aggression, thirteenth seed Dinara Safina rallied from the brink of defeat for a 6-7(6), 7-6(5), 6-2 win.

This was not the first time she stormed back from a losing deficit against Maria Sharapova. Two years ago in the fourth round of Roland Garros, Safina trailed Sharapova 1-5 in the second set before coming back to win 7–5, 2–6, 7–5.

The match today on court Suzanne Lenglen was the best performance by two players that I have seen all tournament. Despite the 6-2 score in the third set, both women played remarkable tennis. In almost three hours of match-play, Safina posted thirty-four winners and Sharapova finished with thirty-three.

Many a player more experienced would have mentally collapsed after losing the first tie-break, but Dinara Safina deserves to be commended for her fortitude and never-give-up attitude.

Incidentally, Safina was named one of On the Baseline’s 2008 Players to Watch, and you can read OTB contributor Paula Vergara’s article about Safina here.

Safina will play her countrywoman Elena Dementieva in the quarterfinals. Five Russians advanced into the final sixteen at the French Open, something not lost on Dementieva.

“I feel like I’m playing a Russian championship not Roland Garros,” said the two-time Grand Slam finalist today after her round of sixteen victory over Russia’s Vera Zvonareva.

Although she will be facing a familiar face in the quarterfinals, Dementieva knows that she could be in for a tough match.

“I think Dinara is a great clay court player,” added Dementieva. “She did a good job in Berlin beating some top 10 players.”

Safina posted wins over Justine Henin and Serena Williams last month at the Qatar Telecom German Open in Berlin, before beating Elena Dementieva 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the final.

Four players–Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, and Svetlana Kuznetsova–each have an opportunity to leave Paris as the best player in the world.

The scenarios are complicated, but the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour has determined what needs to happen for each player to clinch the top spot.

(1) Maria Sharapova
If Maria Sharapova reaches the final, she will remain the No. 1 player on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.

Sharapova can also stay No. 1 if she…
- Loses in the fourth round and neither Ivanovic, Jankovic or Kuznetsova reach the final.
- Loses in the quarterfinals, Kuznetsova does not win the title and neither Ivanovic nor Jankovic reach the final.
- Loses in the semifinals and neither Ivanovic nor Jankovic win the title.

(2) Ana Ivanovic
Ana Ivanovic will become No. 1 if she reaches the final, Sharapova does not reach the semifinals, Jankovic does not reach the final and Kuznetsova does not win the title.

Ivanovic can also clinch the No. 1 ranking if she wins the title and Sharapova does not reach the final.

(3) Jelena Jankovic
Jelena Jankovic will become No. 1 if she reaches the semifinals, Sharapova does not reach the third round and neither Ivanovic nor Kuznetsova reach the final.

Alternately, Jelena will still get the No. 1 ranking if she finishes as the runner-up, Sharapova does not reach the semifinals and Kuznetsova does not win the title.

Jankovic will also become No. 1 if she wins the title in Paris and Sharapova does not reach the final.

(4) Svetlana Kuznetsova
Svetlana Kuznetsova will become No. 1 if she reaches the final, Sharapova does not reach the quarterfinals and neither Ivanovic nor Jankovic reach the final.

Kuznetsova will also take the No. 1 ranking if she wins the title, as long as Maria Sharapova did not reach the semifinals.