Serena Williams Selected AP Female Athlete of Year

Serena Williams is The Associated Press' 2013 Female Athlete of the Year, easily winning a vote by news organizations.

It's the third AP award for the tennis star, who also won in 2002 and 2009.

Williams went 78-4 in 2013, including a 34-match winning streak and 11 titles. Her French Open and U.S. Open championships raised her Grand Slam total to 17 singles trophies. She was ranked No. 1 from February until the end of the season.

Williams received 55 of 96 votes in the AP results announced Wednesday.

Brittney Griner, a two-time AP Player of the Year in college basketball and the No. 1 overall pick in April's WNBA draft, finished second with 14 votes. Swimmer Missy Franklin was next with 10.