Naomi Osaka Is Officially the Highest-Paid Female Athlete in History
A bit of good news for us all: 22-year-old tennis player Naomi Osaka is officially the highest-paid female athlete in history.
According to Forbes, Osaka, who famously beat Serena Williams at the U.S. Open in 2018, securing her first Grand Slam title, earned $37.4 million in the past 12 months between prize money and endorsements. Williams earned about $36 million.
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Despite the major win, Osaka ranks just 29th among the 100 highest-paid athletes, with Williams coming in at no. 33. It’s the first time since 2016 that two women have even cracked the athlete ranking (which Forbes will release in full this week).
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Previously, the highest-paid female athlete title belonged to Maria Sharapova, who earned $29.7 million in 2015.
According to last year’s rankings, Argentinian soccer player Lionel Messi is the highest-paid athlete in the world, with an income of $127 million.
