Serena Williams continues winning on and off the court.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion became the first-ever athlete to make it onto the Forbes' Richest Self-Made Women list behind big endorsements, including Nike, JPMorgan Chase and Gatorade, investing in startups — Williams has put money into 34 over the past five years — and her recently launched company, Serena Ventures, which focuses on companies founded by women and minorities.
Forbes released the list Tuesday which also featured Oprah Winfrey (No. 10), Rihanna (37), Vera Wang (45) and Ellen DeGeneres (63), among many others.
Williams, 30, ranked 80th overall with a net worth of $225 million.
"It's fun to get in there. I don't gamble. I don't jump off buildings," she told Forbes. "I'm the most non-taking-a-chance kind of a person, but I felt like seed (investing) was where we wanted to be."
Cover star Serena Williams is the 1st athlete ever to hit Forbes’ annual list of the World’s Richest Self-Made Women, with an estimated fortune of $225 million.
— Forbes (@Forbes) June 3, 2019
Stay tuned for the full #SelfMadeWomen list launching tomorrow https://t.co/GsRAR8PZm4 pic.twitter.com/0xIm3FNbrV
Forbes noted Williams' $29 million total income over the past 12 months is the highest of her career.
"I want to be a part of it," Williams said. "I want to be in the infrastructure. I want to be the brand, instead of just being the face."
Williams made it clear, however, she will continue playing tennis at the highest level.
She has recently been struggling with a left knee problem, which led to an early exit at the 2019 French Open. Williams was unable to turn the tide against her fellow American, Sofia Kenin, in the third round and remains just one major title short of matching Margaret Court's all-time record.
“I am in no rush to get out of this sport,” she said. “I want to create a brand that has longevity, kind of like my career. It’s not fancy, it’s not here, it’s not out, it’s not trendy, it’s a staple, like my tennis game.”