Sportico has released its list of highest-paid athletes. Naomi Osaka was highest paid female athlete in the world in 2022. Sportico’s list includes all athletes, not just tennis players.
Top three spots on the top-earning female athletes’ list were tennis players – Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams, and Emma Raducanu. Here’s the breakdown of the endorsement earnings for the top three.
- Naomi Osaka $52 million
- Serena Williams – $35 million
- Emma Raducanu – $23 million
Others on the list include Iga Swiatek Coco Gauff, and the retired Ashleigh Barty (all of them earned $5-6 million in endorsement earnings).
The list is not surprising. Where you are from matters, it would help if you were Japanese, American, or British to make a lot of endorsement money. Iga Swiatek, who has dominated the tour this year, has struggled to attract sponsors because she is from Poland. Whereas, Emma Raducanu, who had a difficult 2022, continues to attract sponsors on the back of her surprise 2021 US Open victory.