Highest paid female athletes list has been published recently. The world renowned Forbes magazine had estimated the income figures of the famous female athletes for 2015. These payment totals include their prize money, licensing fees, salaries, endorsements and appearances in last year. We all better guess that most of these highest paid female athletes are Tennis players. Undoubtedly, tennis is the one major money-generating sport where men and women have attained near equality, especially for prize money and sponsorship opportunities consideration.
In true sense, we can take money as the key factor other than fame in sports. As matter of fact some of the great athletes in sports world are also the richest persons in money world. And of course, male athletes are more paid than female ones even at this very 21st century. But there are some female athletes, who can compete to male counterparts in their earning from related sporting arenas.
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Top 10 highest paid female athletes:
This list of top 10 highest paid female athletes represent eight different nationalities. No surprise, most of these athletes earn the bulk of their total earnings from endorsements deals. As previous, Maria Sharapova grabbed the top spot for the second consecutive year in this richest female athletes list. Li Na and Serena Williams trailing behind her at the second and third places respectively. Let’s not tell the whole story in short.
Check out, who is the highest paid female athlete in the world 2015?
10. Paula Creamer – USAÂ (Golf)
Salary/Winnings: $1 million
Endorsements: $4.5 million
Total Earnings: $5.5 million
Paula Caroline Creamer is an American professional golfer. She has won 12 tournaments – including 10 LPGA Tour events. And most importantly she is at number 2 in the Women’s World Golf Rankings and at number 10 in this list of top 10 highest paid female athletes in the world 2015.
Creamer is also one the most successful female athletes in current sporting world. She is currently having endorsement deals with – Citizen, Ricoh, and Bridgestone Golf. Creamer took home a prize money of $210,000 at the HSBC Women’s Championships last year.
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09. Agnieszka Radwanska – Poland (Tennis)
Salary/Winnings: $3.8 million
Endorsements: $3 million
Total Earnings: $6.8 million
Agnieszka Radwanska is probably the first athlete to endorse with a Cheesecake Factory. The 25-year-old Polish athlete has also signed a three-year deal with Rado (a luxury watch manufacturer). She has also partnered with car manufacturer Lexus and other renowned international brands like Babolat and Lotto.
Currently, the richest Tennis player is ranked at world no #4. Notably, she is also the first Polish player to reach the singles final of a Grand Slam in open era. With an estimated annual earnings of $6.8 million, Radwanska is currently the 9th highest paid female athlete in the world 2015.
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08. Ana Ivanovic – Serbia (Tennis)
Salary/Winnings: $1.4 million
Endorsements: $6 million
Total Earnings: $7.4 million
Ana Ivanovic has won three titles in 2014 (Auckland, Monterrey and Birmingham). The renowned magazine website, Forbes.com claims refers that this famous Serbian Tennis star has a lifetime endorsement deal with Adidas Company.
Commonly known as the beauty queen, Ivanovic is considered to be at number 8 in this list of most paid female athletes in 2015. Currently she is world’s no 12 in her sporting field. She has an estimated annual total earnings of $7.2 million.
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07. Caroline Wozniacki – Denmark (Tennis)
Salary/Winnings: $1.3 million
Endorsements: $9.5 million
Total Earnings: $10.8 million
Danish tennis star Caroline Wozniacki has definitely lost her rank in the 2015 list of top 10 highest paid female athletes in the world. But still she earns enough to be one of the richest female athletes. Wozniacki just signed a deal with world renowned Adidas last year.
As a matter of fact we want to inform you that she has been the former World No.1 in Tennis. But unfortunately she never Won a Single Major Title in her Career (21 WTA single titles). Currently she is expected to be earning an estimated annual of $10.8 million from salary and endorsement deals from sponsors. Some of her sponsors are namely – Adidas, Proactiv, Yonex, Rolex and Sony Ericsson.
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06. Victoria Azarenka – Belarus (Tennis)
Salary/Winnings: $3.6 million
Endorsements: $7.5 million
Total Earnings: $11.1 million
Victoria Azarenka is a Belarusian professional tennis athlete. She has recently dropped two places down to the list of top 10 most paid female athletes in the world 2015. Azarenka may have battled injuries in recent season but she did well in previous seasons. At 2013, she finished second in the World Tennis Association‘s (WTA) world rankings.
The famous female athlete has sponsor endorsement deals with – Nike, Citizen and Red Bull. So we can easily guess, she earns a lot of money from tennis court and outside world as well. With an estimated $11.1 million annual earnings, Azarenka is our 6th highest paid female athlete in 2015.
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05. Danica Patrick – USAÂ (Auto Racing)
Salary/Winnings: $7 million
Endorsements: $8 million
Total Earnings: $15 million
Danica Patrick has been retaining almost same amount of total annual earnings for the last two years. She has also been constant at her fifth position in this list of top 10 highest paid female athletes in the world 2015. The American racing driver has endorsement deal with – Motorola, XM radio, Coca-Cola and Go Daddy. Forbes also stated about 10 other personal endorsements.
The American auto racing driver is considered to be one of the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing. She gets a lot of money from internet domain registrar and web hosting company GoDaddy. Com. With an estimated $15 million annual earnings, Danica stands at number 5 of richest female athletes in 2015.
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04. Kim Yuna – Korea (Figure Skating)
Salary/Winnings: $300,000
Endorsements: $16 million
Total Earnings: $16.3 million
Kim Yuna leaped two places in this list of highest paid athletes in the world 2015. The 23-year-old South Korean figure skater has major sponsor deals with Samsung and Hyundai Motors. She also has a number of deals with local brands and has appeared in commercials in her own country.
The 2010 Olympic champion and 2009, 2013 world champion is believed to be earning an estimated $16.3 million annually. Surprisingly almost all of this huge amount is from endorsement deals from renowned sponsors.
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03. Serena Williams – USAÂ (Tennis)
Salary/Winnings: $11 million
Endorsements: $11 million
Total Earnings: $22 million
With a giant increase, $22 million annual earnings, Serena Williams is at number three in this list of highest paid female athletes. Her prize winnings were more than what especially Sharapova even earned. Anyway, the Russian beat her in terms of earnings off the tennis court. The American Tennis star also has some big endorsement deals like -Nike, Wilson, and Gatorade.
Undoubtedly Serena is one of the greatest female Tennis player of her generation. She also considerable for richest female athletes in the world 2015. Her annual income is equally divided in two parts. $11 million from winnings or salary. $11 million from sponsors deals.
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02. Li Na – China (Tennis)
Salary/Winnings: $5.6 million
Endorsements: $18 million
Total Earnings: $23.6 million
The Chinese Tennis superstar Li Na has swapped places with Serena Williams. After the last year she is also getting ahead of the American for endorsement issues. She confirmed giant sponsor deals after she won the Australian Open title in January last year. And also huge bonus from Nike as a result of winning her second career title. Other sponsor companies are – Mercedes, Rolex and Samsung.
She was the first ever Asian tennis player to win a Grand Slam Title. With an annual estimated earnings of $23.6 million, Li Na is considered the second in this list of top 10 highest paid female athletes in the world. But again, for sure, the Chinese athlete is assuring her potential to anytime become the highest paid female athlete.
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01. Maria Sharapova – Russia (Tennis)
Salary/Winnings: $2.4 million
Endorsements: $22 million
Total Earnings: $24 million
It is clear that Maria Sharapova is undoubtedly the highest earning female athlete in the sporting world 2015. Though her winnings or salaries lack a lot than other top female athletes, her endorsement deals alone can take care of this equalization. She has important deals with – Nike, Porsche, Samsung Electronics, Tag Heuer, Evian and Head and also recently Avon Products for a new line of perfume for men and women. For the recent two years she has also been constant at the top of the highest paid female athletes list.
Another important thing, Maria Sharapova is obviously the most famous female athlete of her generation. Namely the Russian Beauty Queen started her career at a very young age. Again, modeling assignments alongside commercials are the other source of her outside court income.
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The great Yuna Kim, the Queen of ice. Queen of South Korea! #Greatestofalltime
Sharapova has great tennis skills, and it just so happen that she's born attractive. That's why endorsements gravitate towards her more.
It still show it depend on your colour not talent. What ashame
I'm former Soviet and should be pulling for Sharapova but it just unfair; the best atlete should be making the most money… and that would be Serena… that's why!!!
Absolutely agree
Serena should b at the top
wow