(October 7, 2012) – It’s been a truly fantastic year for Victoria Azarenka, and if you want proof beyond the sheer excellence of the tennis the 23-year-old has produced, look no further than her burgeoning bank account.
With Sunday’s title at the China Open in Beijing, Azarenka broke the WTA’s all-time record for singles (and combined too) prize money in a single season, eclipsing Serena Williams’ highmark, which was set in 2009.
With Azarenka playing Linz this week, and the WTA Championships upcoming in late October, the red-hot Belarusian could break the $8 million mark before it’s all said and done.
Here’s a look at the WTA’s top singles prize money leaders for every year since 2000:
|
YEAR
|
PLAYER
|
PRIZE MONEY
|
|
2000
|
MARTINA HINGIS
|
$3,457,049
|
|
2001
|
VENUS WILLIAMS
|
$2,405,763
|
|
2002
|
SERENA WILLIAMS
|
$3,514,731
|
|
2003
|
KIM CLIJSTERS
|
$3,610,657
|
|
2004
|
MARIA SHARAPOVA
|
$2,436,466.
|
|
2005
|
KIM CLIJSTERS
|
$3,779,221
|
|
2006
|
JUSTINE HENIN
|
$4,204,810
|
|
2007
|
JUSTINE HENIN
|
$5,367,086
|
|
2008
|
SERENA WILLIAMS
|
$3,594,119
|
|
2009
|
SERENA WILLIAMS
|
$5,584,437
|
|
2010
|
KIM CLIJSTERS
|
$5,019,440
|
|
2011
|
PETRA KVITOVA
|
$5,131,009
|
|
2012
|
VICTORIA AZARENKA
|
$6,905,651***
|
***Serena Williams also held the all-time record for combined money until this year. She earned $6,545,586 combined in 2009. Azarenka has earned $6,916,920 in 2012.
|
(Photo Credit: Chang Photography) |