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Sportico 2025: Coco Gauff Tops Highest-Paid Women as Tennis Rules the List

Endorsement money drives most top incomes, signaling how women’s sports monetize star power beyond competition pay.

Overview

  • Sportico estimates Gauff at $31 million in 2025—$8 million from prize money and $23 million from endorsements—with tennis accounting for 10 of the top 15 earners.
  • The top 15 women earned a combined $249 million, with roughly 30% from salaries and prize money and the balance largely from sponsorships.
  • Caitlin Clark ranks No. 6 at $16.1 million, including $16 million from sponsors and about $114,000 in WNBA salary and bonuses, making her the only WNBA player on the list.
  • Aryna Sabalenka is No. 2 at $30 million, buoyed by a record $15 million in single-season prize money alongside $15 million in endorsements.
  • Golf’s presence grows with Nelly Korda at No. 7 ($13.8 million) and Jeeno Thitikul at No. 15 ($10.1 million), as the LPGA confirms a record $132 million prize fund for 2026.