Serena's 40th Title at Charleston pushes record Career Earnings past $35 Million

13-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams won her 40th WTA career title on Sunday at the 2012 Family Circle Cup held in Charleston, South Carolina. She routed Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic in just under an hour 60 61 in a match which she totally dominated after winning the first nine games to go up 60 30. It was the second straight dominating performance for Serena as she also defeated world #5 and reigning US Open champion Sam Stosur 61 61 in the previous day's semifinal. That rout also took less than an hour to complete.

Serena earned $115,000 and 470 ranking points for winning the Family Circle Cup, her second Charleston tennis tournament trophy after also being victorious in 2008. More importantly, the victory pushed Serena's career prize money earnings past $35 million - the most earnings by a female athlete in any sport. Safarova won $59,000 and 320 ranking points as the losing finalist in the singles tournament. Safarova did win the doubles title partnering with Anastasia PAVLYUCHENKOVA of Russia to defeat the duo of Anabel MEDINA GARRIGUES and Yaroslava SHVEDOVA in the doubles final 57 64 10-6.

The victory for Serena, especially her form in the semifinals and finals, sends a clear message to the rest of the WTA tour. Serena is back and in top form and ready to contend in this year's clay court season. The title allowed Serena to go higher in the rankings and she moved to world #9 in the latest rankings. She is expected to be amongst the top eight seeded players when the French Open rolls in next month. Serena barely played last year and will not be defending any ranking points until the grass court season in June.

In winning the title, Serena lost a total of 15 games - the fewest games en route to winning a title this season. Her 40th WTA title means she trails only two active players in number of titles won - older sister Venus Williams has 43 and Belgian Kim Clijsters has 41. With the clay court swing in the next two months, Serena would like to add to her relatively few WTA clay court titles. She has won four to date: in 2002 Rome, 2002 French Open, and Charleston twice in 2008 and now in 2012. Her schedule for the next two months include Madrid, Rome, and the French Open at Roland Garros.

The match highlights of the 2012 Family Circle Cup in Charleston between Serena and Sharapova can be watched here.