Source: Tim Clayton – Corbis / Getty
Naomi Osaka has beat her idol, Serena Williams yet again. Osaka is now the highest paid female athlete in the world. The 22-year-old has raked in $37.5 million in the past year thanks to prize winnings, and endorsements according to Forbes. Williams held the title for the past four years but this year she earned $1.4 million less than Osaka. The 23-time Grand Slam winner ranks no. 33 while Osaka was a few slot ahead at no. 29 on the list of 100 highest paid athletes. She also broke a record set by Maria Sharapova back in 2015 when she earned $29.7 million.
Osaka has earned $14.5 million in prize money and has raked in millions from her 15 endorsement deals which include Nissan, Citizen Watches, cosmetics company Shiseido, Yonex (whose tennis rackets she uses), and Nissin Foods. She’s also a brand ambassador for Mastercard. Her deal with Nike reportedly paid her a cool $10 million. Osaka and Nike will also be releasing a streetwear line in Japan, which will surely put some more millions in her pocket.
Osaka said that she has a special interest in up and coming businesses.
“I’m really interested in seeing a young business grow and adding value to that process,” Osaka told Forbes in 2019. “I tasked my team with finding brands that align with my personality and my interests.”
Osaka started making history in tennis at the tender age of 20 after she won the U.S Open against Williams. She became the first Asian tennis player to ever be in the no. 1 slot when she won the Australian Open in 2019 and the first Japanese player to win a Grand Slam in her match against Williams. The Haitian and Japanese star snagged her first title at the Indian Wells in March 2018.
The full list of top-earning athletes will be released next week.
