Three current stars of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour and two legendary tennis player graced the 2009 Harris Poll of Most Popular Athletes, which was released this week. Tour stars Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova, Anna Kournikova and Chris Evert placed in on the list, which is based on public opinion research, done just before Wimbledon, of America's favorite athletes.

Serena Williams topped the list of Favorite Female Athletes this year, inching up from the No.2 spot in the 2008 poll. That No.2 position has been replaced by her sister Venus, who also moved up one spot from the No.3 position in 2008. Comeback star Maria Sharapova slipped from her No.4 position last year to tie for No.6 with Swedish professional golfer Annika Sorenstam. Former world No.1 Chris Evert took the No.8 place, while semi-retired former doubles world No.1 player Anna Kournikova placed in the No.9 position.

"I'm really just playing for me, whether I'm the greatest or not," said Serena, who was also named Best Female Athlete at the ESPY Awards last week. "I can't even put myself in a sentence with the greatest, because I think of people like Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf and Billie Jean King. You know, they were such great champions."

The nationwide Harris online poll surveyed 2,177 adults in the United States between June 8 and 15, 2009. Harris Interactive has produced the Harris Poll surveys of public opinion since 1963, and is one of the longest running independent opinion polls in the United States, and now is conducted in Western Europe.

The top 10 (Top 10) female sports star list, with 2008 rank noted:

1. Serena Williams (2)
2. Venus Williams (3)
3. Danica Patrick (1)
4. Candace Parker (7)
5. Mia Hamm (5)
T6. Maria Sharapova (4)
T6. Annika Sorenstam (6)
8. Chris Evert (not ranked in 2008)
9. Anna Kournikova (not ranked in 2008)
10. Michelle Kwan (9)