Serena earns record prize money in single season

Serena Williams [ Images ] has set a single-season prize money record on the women's tour by earning $6,545,586 in 2009, according to the Women's Tennis Association.

The 11-times Grand Slam champion and World No 1 now has career earnings approaching $30 million.

"It's incredible how much women's tennis has grown in the last few years and that the Tour has increased our prize money so significantly," Williams said in a statement.

"We are very fortunate to have an opportunity to be so well rewarded for doing something we love."

This season Williams eclipsed the previous record of $5,429,586 set by Belgian Justine Henin [ Images ] in 2007.

Earlier this year, Williams also surpassed Lindsay Davenport [ Images ] as record holder in career prize money earnings on the Tour, and became the first professional female athlete to earn more than $23 million in a single professional sports league.

The 28-year-old American won the 2009 season-ending Championships as well as Australian Open [ Images ] and Wimbledon [ Images ] crowns this season.