Serena Williams Named AP's 2015 Female Athlete of the Year

Serena Williams was named the Associated Press' Female Athlete of the Year on Friday, according to the AP, via ESPN. It marks the fourth time Williams has won this award.

Williams, 34, won the first three Grand Slams of the 2015 tennis season, though she was unable to make it a clean sweep at the U.S. Open, where she lost in the semifinals to Roberta Vinci. She finished the year with a 53-3 match record, notching five singles titles and earning $10,582,642 in prize money.

But she admitted losing out on the season Grand Slam has weighed on her.

"I wanted it. But...winning one [major title] is not easy. And then, [when] you have a 'bounty' on your head, it's even harder," she said with a laugh, per the AP. "If you know anything about me, I hate to lose. I've always said I hate losing more than I like winning, so that drives me to be the best that I can be."

Despite being in her mid-30s, already having 21 Grand Slam titles to her name and compiling a resume that puts her among the ranks of the most dominant players in the history of tennis, Williams has shown little sign of slowing down.

"If I could have this year next year, I would be really excited."

United States women's national team star and World Cup hero Carli Lloyd finished second in the voting, and UFC fighters Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm and UConn basketball player Breanna Stewart rounded out the top five. 

The Male Athlete of the Year will be announced on Saturday.