A 2022 Forbes report revealed that four-time Grand Slam champ Naomi Osaka made $1.2 million on the court and $58 million off the court, bringing her total earnings to $59.2 million. She’s now the highest-paid female athlete in the world. Her idol, Serena Williams, is the second-highest.
Osaka has been the highest-paid female athlete since 2020. She’s also made No. 19 for the overall highest-paid athletes in the world.
In addition to winning four Grand slam singles championships, two Australian Opens and two US Opens, Osaka ventured into the business world with her self-owned companies, KINLÒ, EVOLVE and Hana Kuma.
She also released her children’s book, “The Way Champs Play.” The tennis star has several partnerships with companies like Nike, Mastercard, GoDaddy, Beats, Modern Health and more. Osaka has also invested in companies like Athletic Brewing, FTX, Status Pro, Daring Foods and Hyperice.
Williams has been an influential figure in the sports world, making it possible for young Black girls like Osaka to attain Williams’ level of success. In 2021, Osaka voiced her gratitude for the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion’s influence on HBO Max’s The Shop.
“If I were to retire from tennis, I would want people to remember me with how I acted towards people and how I interacted,” she said. “For example, Serena. Her legacy is more than her being Serena. I started playing because of her. I’m sure there’s so many other girls that started playing because of her…she literally built champions. And I think passing it down is how the newer generations get inspired.”
“She literally built champions” @serenawilliams was her inspiration, so now it’s @NaomiOsaka’s turn to inspire the next tennis great ? ?#TheShop is back tonight at 9 PM on @HBOMax. pic.twitter.com/VsV6CxZtgl
— UNINTERRUPTED (@uninterrupted) September 24, 2021
Other Black women who made the list of highest-paid female athletes were Venus Williams, Coco Gauff and Simone Biles.
