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Forbes has announced Iga Świątek not Coco Gauff as the top earner in 2023, as tennis players continue to dominate the annual pay ranking and track and field stars missing.
Forbes has named Iga Swiatek as the highest-paid female athlete in 2023, not Coco Gauff as previously published by Sportico.
In the publication by sportico.com, Gauff nudged out Świątek and Eileen Gu with an estimated $22.7 million to $21.9 million from prize money and endorsements, while Eileen Gu was third with $20 million.
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It marked a departure from the dominance of Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, and Naomi Osaka over the past 15 years, having witnessed the retirement of Williams and Sharapova, while Osaka took the year off from tennis with the birth of her daughter Shai, which paused many of her lucrative endorsement deals.
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13:57 - 07.03.2024
Top 10 highest-paid female athletes in the world (2024) - Track and Field stars missing
Track and field stars for another year running aren't on the list of the Top 10 highest-paid female athletes in the world 2024. Should this be a cause of worry?
Forbes released top earners
In a contrary list released by Forbes, Swiatek, the world's No. 1 professional female tennis player, takes the top position.
Forbes' estimation increased Swiatek's earnings by $2 million ($23.9 million), securing her the top spot for the year in 2023. Skiing sensation Eileen Gu ($22.1 million) emerged as the second-highest earner, pushing Coco Gauff to third place with $21.7 million.
The four-time Grand Slam champion has some of her major earnings from sponsorships such as Visa, On Shoes and Apparel, Oshee, and Infosys.
On the other hand, Gauff increased her sponsorships, especially after winning the US Open title in September. She signed deals with brands like Baker Tilly, Bose, UPS, and even appeared in an advertisement for the movie "The Marvels," part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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Athletics stars missing amongst the Top 10 earners
Professional tennis players overwhelm the list of the highest-paid sportswomen in the world, while athletics stars struggle to even be on the Top 30 list.
According to the Forbes list, 12 tennis are among the top 20 earners, occupying 9 out of the top 10 positions.
The top 20 highest-earning women earned around $226 million in 2023, equating to a 13% decrease compared to the 258 million in 2022. This decrease can be primarily attributed to the absence of Williams, who raised 41.3 million last year, and Osaka's income dropping to 15 million dollars (from 51.1 million in 2022) due to her extended break.
While tennis players continue to command the top of the pay charts, track and field athletes are nowhere to be found.
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The inability of athletics stars to make the list is always a concern for athletes and fans through the years, on the poor allocation the sport gets, even during major meets like the World Athletics Championships and Diamond League.
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19:27 - 29.11.2023
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce: Track legend signs mouthwatering deal with luxurious wristwatch brand
Multiple World and Olympic medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has signed for the Richard Mille family, joining a growing list of track and field athletes.
Athletics enthusiasts and shakers in the sport have discussed several means by which the sport can be more marketable, but every year there aren't many changes seen or that evolves.
With recent reports of the world's fastest woman Sha'Carri Richardson allegedly signing a US $20 million with Nike for five years, if true, will be a huge game changer in the future endorsements of female athletes in track and field.
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02:20 - 30.11.2023
Sha'Carri Richardson: World's fastest woman reportedly bags $20,000,000 endorsement deal
According to reports, Sha'Carri Richardson is said to have signed a multi-million dollar endorsement deal with Nike, which will last until the year 2028.
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