Ana Ivanovic's brand value soars despite retirement, Serbian named one of Adidas' top 5 highest-paid athletes

Ana Ivanovic was recently featured in the top 5 of the highest-paid Adidas athletes list, thanks to her lifetime contract with the brand.

Ivanovic began her career as a professional tennis player in 2003 and has 15 WTA titles and a Grand Slam in her kitty. Apart from tennis, the Serbian was an attraction for a variety of brands, including Adidas.

The famous tennis player signed a lifelong partnership with the German sportswear giant in 2010 and continues to participate in the company's activities and operations, including its recent promotion of an eco-friendly clothing collection. She wore the "three stripes" for a long time during her professional career and continues to do so even after retiring from competitive tennis in 2016.

While Ivanovic secured the fifth spot in the highest-paid Adidas athletes list and became the only female to be listed in the top 10, the top four spots belong to legendary footballers Lionel Messi and David Beckham and professional basketballers Damian Lillard and Derick Rose.

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"It has been an honor to be a part of their team" - Ana Ivanovic on collaborating with Adidas

Ana Ivanovic pictured during the Laver Cup Opening Night.

In an interview, Ana Ivanovic discussed her favorite Adidas project, the "Parley and Ocean Squad" initiative, adding that she is grateful to be a part of it and "honored" to have collaborated with the brand.

"Adidas is involved with some amazing initiatives, and it has been an honor to be a part of their team. My favorite project is definitely the Parley and Ocean Squad initiative. The pollution of our oceans has become a huge problem and I feel grateful that Adidas has asked me to join in this important movement," Ivanovic said.

The 2008 Grand Slam champion, who tied the knot with famous German footballer Bastian Schweinsteiger in 2016 and has two sons with him, Luka and Leon, stated that she would "love" her children to be interested in sports.

She also had a piece of advice for her sons: if they ever enter the sporting world, they should always be appreciative of those around them and not let success get to their heads.

"We would love our kids to be interested in sports but we will not put extra pressure on them to play a particular sport. We want them to pursue their own passions, no matter what they are," Ana Ivanovic said.

"Always stay grounded and be appreciative of those around you. No one ever gets to the top alone; it takes support and teamwork from others. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment when the spotlight is on you and it’s great to enjoy that spotlight but to remember that fame and success is not the end all, be all," she added.