As 2024 winds down, it’s clear the WTA stars are wrapping the year in style—both on and off the court. The list of highest-paid female athletes is out, and tennis is smashing it! Out of the top 10, a whopping six spots are held by tennis players, proving once again that this sport doesn’t just deliver aces but also big bucks. Leading the charge? None other than Coco Gauff! After a phenomenal season, she’s not only made waves with her game but also with her growing bank account. However, even with her impressive financial success, Gauff still trails behind the staggering earnings Serena Williams raked in during her final year on tour.

The American tennis sensation has amassed $30.4 Million through her on and off-court endeavors this year, per the data shared by Sportico. Of this, a staggering $9.4 Million comes from her prize money, which includes the hefty cheque of $4.81 Million from her title victory in the WTA finals in Riyadh. Besides, she also lifted the title at the China Open and ASB Classic which further boosted her earnings. But besides the on-court earnings, Gauff also amassed a fortune worth $21 Million from her endorsement deals. 

Gauff boasts a strong partnership with numerous brands that adds a huge addition to her wealth. Her deal with New Balance is one of the most lucrative for her and adds around $1 Million to her fortune every year. Besides, she also has 11 long-term sponsorship deals, as she recently added the hair care line Carol’s Daughter, Naked Brand Juices, and Fanatics to her endorsement portfolio, which further depicts her dominance off the court as well. However, despite the immense amount she has amassed, Gauff failed to outshine the earnings that Williams witnessed in 2022, the year when she bid adieu to tennis. 

When Serena Williams announced her retirement in August 2022, she had already amassed an estimated fortune of $260 million in her career. Of this, $94.8 Million came only through the various titles she donned under her belt. But despite hanging up her racket in 2022, her earnings in the year continued to establish her dominance.

As per a report by Sportico, Williams garnered more than $35.3 Million in 2022. But interestingly, a Forbes report estimates this earning to be around $41.3 Million, of which only 0.3 Million came from her prize winnings. The major factor behind Serena William’s massive earnings was her firm Serena Ventures, which bought into more than 60 companies, such as Impossible Foods, MasterClass, Noom, and Tonal. And despite winning close to $9 Million more than Williams’ on-court earnings, her compatriot Gauff could not match her off-court magic. But it is not just Coco Gauff who has witnessed such a situation. 

The list of the highest-paid female athletes includes the names of Iga Swiatek ($21.4 Million,) Qinwen Zheng ($20.6 Million), and Aryna Sabalenka ($17.7 Million). But none of the players managed to outshine Williams. In fact, the earnings of the former tennis sensation were more than the combined earnings of some players like Zheng and Sabalenka. 

Coming back to Coco Gauff, while she has failed to win more than Williams this year, this is only the beginning of her career. And when it comes to money, it seems that Gauff is quite unbothered, especially about her victory earnings. 

When Coco Gauff showcased her unawareness about a hefty pay-cheque

Coco Gauff has continued to prove her mettle on the tennis courts. But when it comes to the winning amount, Gauff seems to be more concerned about her game than the money. A similar situation was witnessed at the WTA finals when Gauff was quizzed about how she would utilize her prize money of $4.81 Million.

In an interaction with the press, Gauff shared, “I didn’t know, like I knew it was some money, but I didn’t know that much.” Continuing further, she added, “Oh gosh, I hope I’m like one of the highest-paid female tennis players this year or athletes so that’ll be exciting.” She further revealed that her main motivation was not the prize money but the title itself. 

“Honestly, I wanted to win this for myself. I didn’t know that it was the biggest prize cheque on this tour, I didn’t know anything about that. I knew there was money, but I try not to never play for this, but that’s cool.” Now, it would be interesting to see if the star player can continue to top the list next year as well, and win more titles to add to her glorious crown simultaneously.