The year ended on a great note for Iga Swiatek as she is now the 5th highest-paid female athlete in the world, according to Forbes. The list also features several other top tennis players who arguably could not perform to their fullest potential this season. These players have likely upscaled their net pay mostly through off-court endorsements. While Swiatek’s fans are extremely happy at the success of their favorite tennis star, they have also supported the Polish star’s controversial statement after she saw the rankings.

Swiatek seemingly took a jab at fellow tennis aces like Naomi Osaka and Emma Raducanu, who notably feature higher up than Swiatek on the list, after she saw the rankings.

Iga Swiatek is happy with her WTA ranking

Recently, Forbes business magazine ranked female athletes based on their pay in 2022. While Naomi Osaka tops the list with $51.1 million, recently retired Serena Williams follows close with $41.3 million. On the fourth spot, with $18.7 million in earnings stands Emma Raducanu. The three-time singles Grand Slam winner and current world no. 1 Iga Swiatek comes in fifth place, with a total of $14.9 million.

These numbers sure seem impressive, but according to Swiatek, Osaka and Raducanu haven’t been at the top of their game this year. However, they have done a number of endorsement deals that have significantly contributed to their rankings on the list. After Iga Swiatek saw the ranking, she commented, “I’m glad to see that ranking. Money isn’t my motivation but the tricky thing is I earned it really on court & other players earned it mostly from endorsements so there’s a difference. I feel I can still expand my business a bit.”

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While Iga Swiatek has not named anybody, in particular, fans are sure that this statement is a sly jab at the likes of Osaka and Raducanu. Swiatek’s comments might be more pointed toward Raducanu and Osaka due to the significantly less time they spent competing on tour this year.

Read more: ‘It’s Never Comfortable’ – Iga Swiatek Opens Up About the Adversities of Night Matches at French Open 2022

However, the world number one isn’t ungrateful for the ranking and recognition she has received. “I’m pretty happy that my life changed so much that I can compete at the highest level and earn so much money from it because this is also something that is really helping us appreciate the sport we have.”

Swiatek and her endorsements

Some of Swiatek’s most significant endorsements include Nike, Red Bull, Xiaomi, Rolex, and Lexus. With the Australian Open about to start in a few weeks, fans will hope the world no.1 will be a more popular face on endorsements.

Although Swiatek seems pretty confident in her stance, her last statement is noteworthy. As she talks about expanding her endorsements and not being fully dependent on the court earnings, fans can possibly expect to see her feature off-court more often now.

Watch This Story: Rise of a superstar – Iga Swiatek’s victorious moments on the WTA tour 

What did you think of Iga Swiatek’s comments? Do you agree with her? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.