No. 1: Maria Sharapova

No. 1: Maria Sharapova
Tennis
Income: $24.5 million
Age: 23

Maria Sharapova is a former World No. 1 Russian professional tennis player. Sharapova has won 22 WTA singles titles, 3 WTA doubles titles and 3 Grand Slam singles titles.

She is the highest-paid woman in sports and has been featured in many advertisements including Nike, Prince, Canon and many more, also being the face of many fashion houses, primarily Cole Haan (Nike subsidiary).

In January 2010 it was announced that Sharapova had renewed her contract with Nike, signing an 8 year deal for $70 million. This is the most lucrative deal ever for a sportswoman, dwarfing the previous record, which was Venus Williams' $43 million deal with Reebok.

No. 2: Serena Williams

No. 2: Serena Williams
Tennis
Income: $20.2 million
Age: 30

Serena Williams is an American professional tennis player who is also a former World No. 1.

She has won more Grand Slam titles in singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles than any other active female player. She won 27 Grand Slam titles: 13 in singles, 12 in women's doubles, and 2 in mixed doubles. She is the most recent player, male or female, to have held all four Grand Slam singles titles simultaneously and only the fifth woman in history to do so.

Williams formerly had a special line with Puma and currently has a line with Nike. The deal with Nike is worth US$40 million and was signed in April 2004. Since 2004, she has also been running her own line of designer apparel called "Aneres"—her first name spelled backward. In 2009 she launched a signature collection of handbags and jewelry. The collection, called Signature Statement, is sold mainly on the Home Shopping Network (HSN).

Also last year Williams sisters became minority owners in the NFL's Miami Dolphins.

No. 3: Venus Williams

No. 3: Venus Williams
Tennis
Income: $15.4 million
Age: 30

Williams pitches for Oreo, Powerade, Tide and Wilson, among others. She co-authored the book, "Come to Win," released in July, which looks at successful people who played sports as kids, including Richard Branson, Bill Clinton, Jack Welch and Meg Whitman.

No. 4: Danica Patrick

No. 4: Danica Patrick
Racing
Income: $12 million
Age: 28

Patrick's part-time move to Nascar has been a bit bumpy, as her average finish was 30.5 in her first six starts. She remains one of racing's biggest stars with 10 personal sponsorship deals.

No. 5: Kim Yu-Na

No. 5: Kim Yu-Na
Figure skating
Income: $9.7 million
Age: 19

The 2010 Olympic gold medalist has an impressive endorsement portfolio including Hyundai, Nike and Samsung Electronics. Her sponsor, Kookmin Bank, took out insurance on its $1 million bonus if Kim broke her world-record score at the Olympics. She smashed it.

No. 6: Annika Sorenstam

No. 6: Annika Sorenstam
Golf
Income: $8 million
Age: 39

The eight-time player of the year retired from the LPGA at the end of 2008, but still retains deals with the likes of Callaway, Cutter & Buck, Lexus and Rolex. Other business interests include golf course design, a golf academy and a winery.

No. 7: Ana Ivanovic

No. 7: Ana Ivanovic
Tennis
Income: $7.2 million
Age: 22

Adidas announced a lifetime deal in February with the former No. 1-ranked player in the world. Ivanovic has struggled on the court since winning the 2008 French Open, but her website remains one of the most popular among all athletes.

No. 8: Jelena Jankovic

No. 8: Jelena Jankovic
Tennis
Income: $5.3 million
Age: 25

Jankovic became the first woman to ever be ranked No. 1 without reaching a Grand Slam final in 2008. Last year she signed an apparel and shoe deal with China-based sportswear company Anta.

No. 9: Paula Creamer

No. 9: Paula Creamer
Golf
Income: $5.2 million
Age: 24

Creamer missed the first half of 2010 with a thumb injury, but won her first major, the U.S. Open, in only her fourth tournament back from her layoff. Creamer's $7.7 million in career prize money is 12th-best of all time.

No. 10: Lorena Ochoa

No. 10: Lorena Ochoa
Golf
Income: $5 million
Age: 28

Ochoa stunned the golf world in April when she announced her retirement from professional competition despite being ranked No. 1 on the LPGA Tour. She will continue to play and host the Lorena Ochoa Invitational, an LPGA event held annually in Guadalajara, Mexico.