In the past 10 years, the yearly income of the highest paid sportswomen has more than doubled. While tennis stars dominate the top 5—and most of the top 10 for that matter—a gymnast star has also joined the ranks in the last year. These 5 incredible female athletes have amassed over $133m in the year 2021from both on and off the field earnings.
5. Garbiñe Muguruza— $8.8m
Although she is the 5th highest paid female athlete of last year, Garbiñe Muguruza had the highest on-the-field earnings of any other sportswoman on this list. The Spanish tennis player has a career-high singles ranking of world No. 1 by the Women's Tennis Association.
4. Simone Biles— $10.1m
The US gymnastics star shocked the world last year with her decision to pull out of five events at last year's olympics, but her message behind pulling out resonated with many brands. Biles was able to partner with brands such as Cerebral to promote mental health.
3. Venus Williams— 11.3m
Despite having only appeared in nine tournaments last year, tennis star Venus Williams continues to stay relevant in the sports world. A large part of her year was her collaboration with her sister on the movie King Richard.
2. Serena Williams— $45.9m
This high of a ranking probably doesn’t come as a surprise. Serena Williams is probably the most recognizable name in women's sports to date. Like her sister, she remains a household name despite having only appeared in six tournaments last year.
1. Naomi Osaka— $57.3m
At just 24 years old, the Japanese tennis player added more than ten brand partners last year that accounted for a lot of her off-court earnings. 2021 marks the second year in a row that Naomi Osaka sits at the top of this list.
