Most sources of information now indicate that Serena Williams will be fined as much as 1 million dollars for her misconduct in the 2009 US Open semifinal against Kim Clijsters.

Williams is not likely to be banned from the 2010 Australian Open, but could lose her US Open ranking points and be obliged to give back her US Open prize money. Also, she could be suspended from playing the next US Open.

The ITF's Grand Slam Committee is expected to announce a final verdict very soon.

Reminder: Williams has already been fined $10,500 for the incident. (source: Women Who Serve, photo: Ralf Reinecke)

Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Kim Clijsters and Svetlana Kuznetsova will play the 2010 BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup.

The $1.2 million tennis exhibition will take place on March 1, 2010 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. There will be two one-set semifinals, followed by a best-of-three-set final.

Last year's participants at the event were the Williams sisters and Serbs Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic. Serena was the winner.

Tickets will go on sale December 2, 2009 and range from $25 to $1000. (source: Simply Serena Williams)

Our dear reader Teerin is contributing to Women's Tennis Blog once again, this time by creating a countdown of the best moments in the 2009 tennis season.

Teerin would like to have been able to include more memorable situations, but YouTube videos can't be more than 10 minutes long. Which WTA moments would you add to Teerin's Top 10? I would include the emotional retirement of Ai Sugiyama and also, I would put Kim Clijsters' US Open win on top of the list.

Teerin, thank you so much for your continuous and active support of Women's Tennis Blog.

Just weeks after showing off her naked body in ESPN The Magazine’s first "Body Issue", Serena Williams stripped down as "The Athlete" and one of Glamour magazine's Women of the Year.

Billie Jean King explains why Serena was chosen:

When most people would falter, she is able to raise her game a level, and that’s what you look for in champions. I feel confident she will win more major singles titles than my 12. And that makes me very proud.

Serena is now safe to do whatever she wants to, she finished the year ranked No.1, won two Grand Slams and the Sony Ericsson Championships during the 2009 tennis season. (source: Down the Line)

World No.1 Serena Williams earned $6.5 million in 2009, which is the largest amount of prize money ever earned in women's tennis during a single season.

Williams won two Grand Slam titles in 2009 – Australian Open and Wimbledon – and finished the successful year in style by earning the season-ending No.1 ranking and winning the Sony Ericsson Championships.

Previously, Justine Henin held the record with her slightly under $5.5 million earned in 2007.

Serena Williams' career prize money is now at record $28.5 million. (source: ESPN, photo by our reader Jacob)