By reaching the singles and doubles finals at the 2009 Australian Open, world No.2 Serena Williams broke golf star Annika Sorenstam's record for career prize money by a female athlete with nearly $23 million.

Even if Williams is to lose both championship matches, she would leave Australia with career earnings of about $22.7 million, overcoming Lindsay Davenport, who used to hold the record in women's tennis, by more than $500,000, and Sorenstam's total by more than $150,000.

Williams’ first check was worth $240, she earned it at an event in Canada in 1995:

It's amazing how much women's tennis has grown since I joined the tour 14 years ago.

If Williams wins two Australian Open championships this week, her career earnings will reach more than $23.5 million. In singles she’s looking for her 10th Grand Slam title in a clash with Dinara Safina, while in doubles, along with her sister Venus Williams, she faces Daniela Hantuchova and Ai Sugiyama. (source: ESPN, photo: Tennis Channel)

Nine-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams will meet the French Open runner-up Dinara Safina in the final of the 2009 Australian Open.

Williams put Elena Dementieva's 15-match winning streak to an end, defeating the Russian 6-3 6-4 in the semifinals. In-form Dementieva had been undefeated this year and she even beat Williams two weeks ago in Sydney, plus, the Russian won their last three meetings.

Despite everything, powerful Williams can always step up on Grand Slam stage and keep her cool. Dementieva double-faulted eight times, while Williams made no double faults.The American hit 27 winners – including 10 aces – to 18 winners from the Russian. She even rallied from behind in the second set, trailing 3-0 before winning six of seven games. Read more »

Serena Williams is aiming high, wanting to win a Golden Globes award for her writing skills. Sorry Serena, but as good a tennis player you are, you are that bad a writer. Everyone, remember Serena's famous love poem?

The world No.2 revealed she’s serious about her writing career, and is even reading some manual on how to write a TV drama.

Off the court I have a new goal. I love writing, and for quite some time now I have wanted to write a screenplay. Before, I wanted to write a script for a movie, but now my goals have changed. I have decided I would love to write a "dramedy" — a mixture of a comedy and a drama. I think my goals changed because of my recent obsessions with Desperate Housewives, Sex and the City and Lipstick Jungle. I spend most of my spare time on my HP computer surfing the Internet. I figured I should trade in my remarkable ability to waste time into my ability to write. I have nothing to lose. Don't laugh, because one day I will be at the Golden Globes accepting an award. I am currently reading this booked called Writing a TV drama Series. Venus bought it for me! I'm so excited!!!

I see she's really serious. Plus, remember that after the US Open there was a piece of news that Serena was reportedly about to publish her memoir? (via Down the Line, photo: Ralf Reinecke)

Serena Williams crashed the Russians' party and put an end to the possibility of a Russian full house in the Australian Open semifinals by coming back from a set down to defeat Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Eighth seed Kuznetsova was leading 7-5 5-3, but then Williams’ well-known aggression returned and she won 10 of the last 11 games of the match, earning a 5-7 7-5 6-1 victory.

Williams, the second seed, joins Olympic singles medalists Dinara Safina, Elena Dementieva and Vera Zvonareva in the final four. Her next opponent will be Dementieva, who earlier beat Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2 6-2. (photo by our reader Jacob)

Serena Williams is well on her way to continue the tradition of winning the Australian Open titles in odd-numbered years. Wasting just enough energy, the second-seeded American beat Shuai Peng of China 6-1 6-4 in the third round.

Williams made ten aces, compared to Peng’s zero, two unforced errors less than her opponent, and 29 winners to Peng’s 12.

To some up the match: The second set was much longer than the first one, and it featured five breaks of serve in all, but at no moment was Williams’ victory questioned.

The three-time Australian open champion Williams will play either No.20 seed Amelie Mauresmo or No.13 seed Victoria Azarenka in the fourth round.

So far on day six, seed No.21 Anabel Medina Garrigues beat No.12 seed Flavia Pennetta 6-4 6-1. And Carla Suarez Navarro, the shocking conqueror of Venus Williams, advanced further, defeating Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez 6-1 6-4. (photo: Getty Images)

One of the favorites for the title, sixth seed Venus Williams, lost as early as in the second round of the Australian Open, being beaten by world No.46 Carla Suarez Navarro.

The Spaniard saved a match point before beating Williams 2-6 6-3 7-5, who is yet to add an Australian Open trophy to her collection of Grand Slam titles. Suarez Navarro is playing only her fourth Grand Slam event, but she already has one notable results, the quarterfinals at last year’s French Open.

Venus started the third set strong, taking a 4-1 lead, but Suarez Navarro dragged herself back into it and saved herself on match point at 5-5. She then broke the next game and served out for a famous victory.

Second seed Serena Williams was extremely close to losing the second set, but the three-time Australian Open champion eventually defeated Argentine Gisela Dulko in straight sets 6-3 7-5.

Dulko wasted six set points and saved five break points before Serena won the game, then held her own serve to even the set at 5-5. Serena then broke again, after another long game featuring six deuces, before holding her serve to win the match with an ace.

Although Dulko was having a 5-2 lead in the second set, and although she had those six set points, Serena was calm, as if she had known she was going to win. Serena confirmed my impression by saying: "She had a couple of opportunities but I always felt I wasn't going to lose."

Except for Venus Williams and seed No.14 Patty Schnyder, all the seeds were victorious on day 4. (via BBC, photos: Getty Images)

Four WTA players have a chance of being ranked No.1 after the 2009 Australian Open.

Current No.1 and top seed at the Australian Open, Jelena Jankovic, is defending 900 points, having reached the semifinals last year. World No.2 Serena Williams reached the quarterfinals in 2008, and is hence defending 500 points. Dinara Safina, currently ranked third in the world, is defending only 4 points this year, as last year she lost in the first round. And finally, world No.4 Elena Dementieva is defending 280 points, having lost in the fourth round last year.

The winner of the 2009 Australian Open will receive 2000 points. The top four ranking positions are very close and here are some ranking projections:

• If Jelena Jankovic wins, she will remain No.1 regardless.

• If Dinara Safina wins, she will become No.1, regardless.

• If Serena Williams wins, she will become No.1 IF… she does not play Jankovic in the finals.

• If Elena Dementieva wins, she will become No.1 IF … she does not play Jankovic in the finals.

Moreover, with Jankovic winning her first round match at the Australian Open, Safina would need to reach AT LEAST the semifinals, while Serena Williams and Dementieva would need to reach the finals in order to have a chance to become the No.1 in the world. (photos: Ralf Reinecke)

World No.2 Serena Williams has signed a deal that will make her an equity partner as well as an endorser of Mission Skincare, a company marketing skin care products to those who engage in some form of exercise.

The tennis star will be involved in product development. Products include lip balm, sunscreen and foot cream.

Because of the terms of her Nike deal, Serena will not be able to wear a Mission Skincare logo on the court. (source: All Things Serena Williams, photo of Serena by Ralf Reinecke)