Female tennis players have occupied the top spot on Forbes’ list of highest-paid female athletes since 1990 and that streak remains intact with Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka named as the top earner in women’s sports. The 2018 US Open and 2019 Australian Open winner earned a whopping $37.4 million in prize money and endorsements last season. Osaka’s incredible earnings place her above the previous highest-paid female athlete Serena Williams. The ATP and WTA are nearing a return to tournament play and tennis betting 2020 gives fans the chance to get the latest tips and bonuses for each match.
Just 22-years-old, Osaka just edged Williams in overall earnings for 2019 by $1.4m. Williams had been the highest-paid female athlete over the previous four years. However, she now sees that reign end having failed to win a grand slam tournament since 2017.
Osaka achieved a remarkable milestone last year by earning the most money ever by a female sports star in a 12-month timeframe. The Japanese tennis star surpassed Maria Sharapova for the crown of most money earned in a 12-month period. Sharapova accomplished the feat in 2015 earning $29.7m. Since 2004, Williams or Sharapova held the top spot for highest-paid female athlete in the world. Williams is now 38-years-old while Sharapova is 33. Osaka’s crown as highest-paid women’s athlete shows the changing of the times as a younger tennis star has emerged to lead the game forward.
The Japanese player is currently ranked 10th in the WTA rankings having slipped from No. 1. Despite falling down the rankings, Osaka is incredibly marketable and the reason why she has 15 sponsorship deals to her name. Major brands such as Nike, Yonex, and Nissan have partnered with Osaka helping her earnings grow over the last year. Osaka is mixed heritage which adds to her marketability. In addition, she is known for her bubbly personality and an offensive tennis playing style. All are factors that have made sponsors go crazy for her.
Although Osaka is the No. 1 earner for all female athletes, she ranks as 29th overall highest-paid sports person on Forbes’ list of the 100 highest-paid athletes. Williams is 33rd on Forbes’ list marking the first time since 2016 that two female athletes cracked the top 100.
Osaka and Williams have met on the tennis court for silverware in the past. The two famously played the US Open final in 2018 with Osaka winning. Williams was uncharacteristically off of her game on the day receiving three code violations from the match umpire.
Williams has been a regular face in the tennis world since winning the US Open in 1999. The 23-time Grand Slam champion has earned over $300m in endorsements during her illustrious career. Osaka is a relatively unknown player. According to an interview with David Carter, a sports business professor at USC’s Marshall School of Business, Osaka’s mixed-raceheritage makes her a major selling point to young audiences. It is one of the reasons why she could be the next big female sports celebrity over the coming decade-plus regardless of Grand Slam tennis tournament results.
