The world of professional sports, particularly at the elite level, is seeing a significant surge in earning potential for female athletes, and the data for 2025 clearly shows one sport leading the pack: tennis. An analysis of the top 15 highest-paid female athletes reveals a striking statistic—10 of the 15 athletes, or 67%, have earned their spot on the list primarily through the power of the tennis racket.

This unprecedented concentration highlights the sport’s global appeal, the strength of its individual star athletes, and its highly attractive marketability for corporate endorsements.

💰 Tennis players among the elite earners

Leading the list is American sensation Coco Gauff, who secures the top spot with total earnings of $31 million ($8M in salary/winnings and $23M in endorsements). Following closely behind are other tennis heavyweights, including:

• Aryna Sabalenka ($30M total: $15M salary/winnings, $15M endorsements)

• Iga Świątek ($23.1M total: $10.1M salary/winnings, $13M endorsements)

• Zheng Qinwen ($19M total in endorsements)

The list of tennis players continues with established stars and rising talents alike, including Madison Keys ($9M in endorsements), Elena Rybakina ($8.6M salary/winnings), Naomi Osaka ($10M in endorsements), Amanda Anisimova ($7.3M salary/winnings), Jessica Pegula ($5M in endorsements), and the legendary Venus Williams ($10M in endorsements).

📊 Endorsements: the key earning driver

While tennis offers substantial prize money compared to many other women’s sports, the data clearly indicates that endorsements are the primary factor driving the highest earners into the multi-million dollar bracket.

Out of the 10 tennis players on the list, seven derive their entire listed income (or the majority of it) from endorsement deals. This reflects a unique attribute of women’s tennis: its stars often transcend the sport, becoming global icons whose marketability extends into fashion, luxury goods, and technology. The individual nature of the sport means its stars are highly visible and their personal brands are easily identifiable and packaged for advertisers.

⛳🏀 Other sports in the top 15

While tennis dominates, other sports demonstrate significant earning power, driven primarily by individual endorsements:

• Eileen Gu (Skiing) commands $23 million entirely through endorsements.

• Caitlin Clark (Basketball), in her professional debut year, boasts $16 million in endorsements.

• Nelly Korda (Golf) earned $11 million in endorsements.

• Simone Biles (Gymnastics) also features with $11 million in endorsements.

• Jeeno Thitikul (Golf) rounds out the list with $7.6 million in endorsements.

The 2025 list confirms that tennis provides the most consistent and lucrative pathway for female athletes to reach the pinnacle of sports earnings. The robust prize purses of major tournaments, combined with the immense market appeal of its diverse roster of global stars, ensures the sport remains the financial powerhouse in women’s athletics.

Iga Swiatek in 2025

Currently the world no.2, the Pole played her last match on the 16^th of November when she overcame world no.330 Gabriela Talaba 6-2 6-0 in the Rubber 2 in (draw).

This season the Pole has managed to achieve a compiled 64-17 win-loss record. The Pole has won 3 titles in 2025 in Wimbledon, Cincinnati and Seoul. Swiatek was the finalist in Australia and Bad Homburg.

Aryna Sabalenka in 2025

Now the world no.1, Aryna played her last match on the 8^th of November when she surrendered to world no.5 Elena Rybakina 6-3 7-6(0) in the final in Riyadh (draw).

Currently, during this season the Belarussian has achieved a 63-12 win-loss record. Aryna clinched 4 titles in 2025 in Brisbane, Miami, Madrid and U.S. Open. Sabalenka was the finalist at the Australian Open, Indian Wells, Stuttgart, French Open and Riyadh.

Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka fought against each other 13 times. Their record is 8-5 for Swiatek.