Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams, Venus Lead the Highest-Earning Female Athletes of 2021

Published 01/14/2022, 10:30 AM EST

Women’s sports rarely get the limelight that they deserve. However, that has been changing gradually; stars like Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, and others, are more popular than any of their male competitors. Alongside being popular, they earn a pretty hefty amount of money as well.

Tennis is also one of the few sports where the women’s game gets as much recognition and spotlight as the men’s. Players like Osaka, the Williams Sisters, and others have huge groups of supporters across the world. However, some players from different sports are also getting recognition gradually.

Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams top the highest earners’ list

Article continues below this ad

Among the women athletes around the world, 4-time Grand Slam Champion Naomi Osaka tops the list of the highest earners in 2021. According to Forbes, the Japanese player earned around 57.3 million dollars in 2021. She earned around $2.3 million from her on-court performances, but earned a staggering $55 million from endorsements and brand deals.

Women’s sports continue to 📈📈
Here are the Top 5 earners from the last 12 months — on and off the court. pic.twitter.com/1Ycs5wGLWb
— Boardroom (@boardroom) January 13, 2022

Meanwhile, 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams is the second-highest earner amongst the women athletes. She didn’t earn a lot from her on-court performances because of her absence from the tour forced by injuries. She only got $0.9 million from tennis but earned about $45 million from her various off-court deals.

Watch The Story: Five inspiring quotes from Simone Biles

Her older sister, Venus Williams, is the third-highest earner on the list, but she’s far behind the top two spots. She earned $11.3 million in 2021 and most of her income came from her endorsements.

Article continues below this ad

However, the surprising name on the list is Simone Biles, who earned around $10.1 million in 2021. The American gymnast earned most of her money from various brand deals as well.

Spain’s no.1 tennis star, Garbine Muguruza, is the highest earner among the tennis players in terms of her on-court performance and the fifth highest overall. She earned around $2.6 million from tennis and $6 million from various deals.

Article continues below this ad

Novak Djokovic Visa Cancelation: 3 Possible Outcomes for the Tennis Great Ahead of Australian Open 2022

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Debkinkar Maity is a Tennis Author at EssentiallySports. His desire to become a sports journalist inspired him to take up a degree in journalism and mass communication, and he hasn't looked back ever since. Following the sport for over a decade now, Debkinkar has an ardent love for Roger Federer.

Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams, Venus Lead the Highest-Earning Female Athletes of 2021

Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams top the highest earners’ list

Trending

‘RIP’ – Heartbroken Brother of John McEnroe Mourns ESPN Legend’s Tragic Death Who Last Tweeted About Coco Gauff

Serena Williams’ Husband Alexis Ohanian Gushes Over Her Pink Attire as Part of Nike’s Latest Endeavor

Darwin Blanch: How Father’s Relentless Efforts for His Brother Ended up Becoming a Boon for Rafael Nadal’s Opponent

Where Is Venus and Serena Williams’ Father ‘King’ Richard Now? Everything to Know about His Whereabouts

Do Darwin Blanch’s Siblings Play Tennis? Everything to Know About the Young American’s Power-Packed Family