Here’s Why Maria Sharapova Earns Almost the Same Amount of Money as Serena Williams Despite Lesser Career Titles

Serena Williams is one of the legends of tennis. She has 73 overall titles and 23 Grand Slam titles, which is some record for a player of her caliber. Similarly, Maria Sharapova is a five-time Grand Slam champion. 

But the one thing that they have in common is the revenue they generate. Despite the vast difference in the number of titles won, Maria Sharapova earns nearly as much as Serena Williams.

Maria Sharapova is almost on par with Serena Williams

As per Forbes, Sharapova’s overall net worth is $220M as compared to Serena Williams’ $260M. They both, as players, have had their fair share of success, but as players, Williams has always had the upper hand. 

And according to WTA, the latter has earned $94,518,971 as career prize money until the end of 2021, which is 3 times ($38,777,962) more than Sharapova has managed to earn in her lifetime as a player.

READ MORE: ‘Started Moving My Body Again’ – Maria Sharapova Provides an Update on Her Physical Condition After Announcing the Birth of Her Child

So despite the difference in career winnings, Sharapova is still on par with Serena Williams. And the primary reason for that is the brand endorsements, business ventures, and ownership. Maria Sharapova held the title of the highest-paid female athlete for an unprecedented eleven years straight.  

Sharapova’s last Grand Slam title

The Russian defeated Simona Halep of Romania by 6-4, 6-7, 6-4 in a challenging marathon to earn her fifth Grand Slam title. This was her second title at the French Open in 2014. 

In terms of the length of the match, it must be noted that, at the time, it was the second-longest final in the history of Roland Garros women’s singles. Five years later, Sharapova retired from tennis. She lost to Donna Vekic in the opening round of the 2020 Australian Open in straight sets with the score of 3-6, 4-6. 

WATCH THE STORY: When Maria Sharapova revealed her adulation for Emilia Clarke after her life-threatening health revelation 

In conclusion, the amount of money a player can earn depends not only on the number of titles they have but also on the number of initiatives and business ventures they are involved in. And when we look at the overall picture, it becomes clear why Sharapova earns such a massive amount of money.