Coco Gauff finished a distant third in the 2023 WTA prize-money list, but she was the highest-earning female athlete this year as tennis players dominated the top 10 list with Emma Raducanu in the top five despite earning only $238,000 in prize money. Teenage sensation Gauff finished the tennis season with $6,669,622 in prize money with the bulk of that coming from her title run at the US Open, but her total earnings for the year stands at $22.7 million as she earned $16m from endorsements.
The $22.7m puts her just ahead of WTA world No 1 Iga Swiatek on the list that was compiled by Sportico – which is part of American digital media, publishing and information services company Penske Media Corporation (PMC). According to Sportico, earnings were calculated via “conversations with those familiar with marketing agreements and also includes royalties, memorabilia, appearance fees, media and businesses tied to their celebrity”.
Swiatek, who won the French Open and WTA Finals, earned $9.9m in prize money, but collected “only” $12m in sponsorship deals for a total of $21.9m. Gauff and Swiatek were eighth and seventh respectively last year. American freestyle skier Eileen Gu is third with $20m of her total coming from endorsements as she earned only $27,000 from prize money/salary.
Raducanu and former world No 1 Naomi Osaka completed the top five despite their lack of activity in 2023 as they raked in the cash from sponsorship deals. 2021 US Open champion Raducanu – number three last year – played only 10 matches in 2023 as she underwent surgery on both her wrists and one ankle midway through the way, but she earned $16.2m this campaign with $16m coming from endorsements.
Four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka topped the list in 2022, but she skipped the 2023 tennis season as she gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Shai in July. The Japanese star still managed to bank $15m this year. World No 2 and reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka sits sixth on the list with $9.5m while Elena Rybakina (seventh – $9.5m) and Jessica Pegula (eight – $9m) also feature in the top 10.
Canadian Leylah Fernandez, who finished runner-up to Raducanu at the 2021 US Open, is joint-13th with $6.1m while Ons Jabeur, a runner-up at Wimbledon this year, is 15th with $5.7m.
Top 10 Highest-Paid Female Athletes 2023
1. Coco Gauff Tennis – $22.7m ($6.7m prize money and $16m endorsements)
2. Iga Swiatek Tennis – $21.9m ($9.9m prize money and $12m endorsements)
3. Eileen Gu Freestyle Skiing – $20m ($27k prize money/salary and $20m endorsements)
4. Emma Raducanu Tennis – $16.2m ($238k prize money and $16 endorsements)
5. Naomi Osaka tennis – $15m ($0 prize money and $15m endorsements
6. Aryna Sabalenka Tennis – $12.2m ($8.2m prize money and $4m endorsements)
7. Elena Rybakina Tennis – $9.5m ($5.5m prize money and $4m endorsements)
8. Jessica Pegula Tennis – $9m ($6m prize money and $3m endorsements)
9. Simone Biles Gymnastics – $8.5m ($0 prize money and $8.5m endorsements)
10. Nelly Korda Golf – $7.9m ($1.4m prize money and $6.5m endorsements)
