Serena Williams revealed as highest-paid female athlete for fourth year in a row

The 23-time grand slam singles champion earned 29.2 million US dollars (approximately £24million) for the 12 months to June 1

Serena Williams tops Forbes' list of highest-paid female athletes for the fourth year in a row.

The 23-time grand slam singles champion earned 29.2 million US dollars (approximately £24million) for the 12 months to June 1, only 4.2million dollars of which was in prize money.

Naomi Osaka became just the fourth woman to earn more than 20million US dollars in a year after Williams, Maria Sharapova and Li Na.

The young Japanese star's earnings leapt to 24.3million dollars (approximately £20million) on the back of her first two grand slam titles at the US Open and the Australian Open.

Osaka, who is of Japanese and Haitian heritage but has lived in the United States for most of her life, is seen as one of the most commercially attractive sports stars.

Tennis players once again dominated the list, with last year's Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber in third ahead of this year's SW19 winner Simona Halep.

The highest-placed athlete from another sport was United States footballer Alex Morgan in 12th, who earned 5.8million US dollars (approximately £4.75million), nearly all of it in endorsements.

Indian badminton star PV Sindhu and Thai golfer Ariya Jutanugarn were the other non-tennis players in the top 15.

Full list

1. Serena Williams - $29.2 million (Tennis)

2. Naomi Osaka - $24.3 million (Tennis)

3. Angelique Kerber - $11.8 million (Tennis)

4. Simona Halep - $10.2 million (Tennis)

5. Sloane Stephens - $9.6 million (Tennis)

6. Caroline Wozniacki - $7.5 million (Tennis)

7. Maria Sharapova - $7 million (Tennis)

8. Karolina Pliskova - $6.3 million (Tennis)

9. Elina Svitolina - $6.1 million (Tennis)

10 (equal). Venus Williams - $5.9 million (Tennis)

10 (equal). Garbine Muguruza - $5.9 million (Tennis)

12. Alex Morgan - $5.8 million (Football)

13 (equal). P.V. Sindhu - $5.5 million (Badminton)

13 (equal). Madison Keys - $5.5 million (Tennis)

15. Ariya Jutanugarn - $5.3 million (Golf)

PA