Women's tennis players dominate the Forbes magazine Top 10 list of the highest-paid female athletes and Maria Sharapova is the leader for the seventh year in a row. Forbes included earnings from salaries, prize money, endorsements, appearance fees and exhibitions between July 2010 and July 2011.

The 24-year-old Maria Sharapova did make the final of Wimbledon, but the greatest share in her $25 million fortune earned in the one-year period came from lucrative deals with Nike, Head, Evian, Clear Shampoo, Sony Ericsson, Tiffany, Tag Heuer, and Cole Haan.

World No.1 tennis player Caroline Wozniacki occupies the second position in the list with twice smaller earnings of $12.5 ($6 million from tournaments and $6.5 million from sponsors). The 21-year-old Wozniacki has deals with Adidas, Yonex, Compeed and Oriflame.

THE HIGHEST-PAID FEMALE ATHLETES

1. Maria Sharapova
2. Caroline Wozniacki
3. Danica Patrick (auto racing driver)
4. Venus Williams
5. Kim Clijsters
6. Serena Williams
7. Kim Yu-na (figure skater)
8. Li Na
9. Ana Ivanovic
10. Paula Creamer (golfer)

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What a day at Wimbledon! The first matches of the second week of the grass-court Grand Slam said goodbye to world No.1 and top seed Caroline Wozniacki, twice-defending champion Serena Williams and five-time champion Venus Williams. My poll has now lost three more of the eight names included (the only players still standing are Maria Sharapova, Marion Bartoli and Petra Kvitova).

Wozniacki lost to Dominika Cibulkova 1-6 7-6(5) 7-5 and has yet again failed to reach the quarterfinals of Wimbledon even though in her first three wins this year she hadn't lost more than three games per set, the least of any other player in the draw, and as you can see, she started the match with Cibulkova in similar fashion. Wozniacki is already on the defensive: "I don't really care what people think or say or do."

As for the Williams sisters, who had won nine of the last 11 women's singles titles at Wimbledon, Serena's 17-match winning streak was ended by Marion Bartoli 6-3 7-6(6), while Venus lost to Tsvetana Pironkova 6-2 6-3. The 2007 Wimbledon finalist Bartoli won two marathons in the previous two rounds, against Lourdes Dominguez Lino and Flavia Pennetta, and followed them up with the biggest victory of her career, a dream victory, as Bartoli herself described it. The world No.33 Pirokova played the semifinals of Wimbledon last year and to reach them she defeated Venus by the same score as today! Pironkova beat Venus in their last three encounters, and is now 3-1 against her in head-to-head. Read more »

Wimbledon is the most traditional tennis tournament and that conservativeness is reflected in the white clothing rule. But the color restriction is not limiting players to express themselves and challenge the set rules.

Bethanie Mattek Sands is always attracting a lot of attention with her look and for Wimbledon 2011 she reinvented herself in cooperation with Lady Gaga's designer – the jacket adorned with white tennis balls may have challenged the officials, but it is likely to end up in the Wimbledon Museum (one Bethanie's Wimbledon outfit is already there).

Venus Williams' outfit for Wimbledon is the second biggest shocker of the tournament. Her EleVen zipper jumper with an open back is definitely unique, whether you like it or not. I like the piece for bringing something new (it's not a dress, it's not a shorts and a top), but it reminds of pajamas. Also, I don't appreciate the visible brown bra in the back.

Nadia Petrova's message still hasn't reached her sponsor Ellesse, they simply don't want to give up the fluffy outfits.

Let's move on to some good examples. Read more »

Our regular contributor John Bolan, irritated by the behavior of Serena and Venus Williams who, he believes, are disrespecting the WTA Tour and the other players who work hard all-year long, is sharing his opinion with us. Read on!

For the last several years I have been following the antics of the Williams sisters. I have seen the broken agreements between them and various tournaments. I have been there when tournaments marketed them only to have them pull out at the last minute.  The fake injuries and the appearance fees taken to show up but they play only one match losing to a no body. All this stuff is well documented. It is too crazy to make up.

Last week the Williams sisters actually showed up for a couple of matches at Eastbourne before bowing out so they can model their newest togs in London. The tennis media went bonkers about them while forgetting all about the women who now lead the WTA and where tennis priorities should be. These two players make a mockery of the tennis world and the media but it seems people keep falling for their antics.

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Venus Williams once again made an outfit pushing the fashion limits, only this time in a much better way than her shocking Australian Open 2011 choices and the most of the provocative 2010 season dresses. The American five-time Wimbledon champion (2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008) cruised into the second round 6-3 6-1 without facing a break point against Akgul Amanmuradova in a white EleVen clothing item with a dominant zipper in the middle. When I first saw it I first called it a thing, because it is not a dress, it is not a two-piece outfit, but Venus herself later clarified the situation: Read more »