Naomi Osaka Is Now The Highest-Paid Female Athlete in History

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Naomi Osaka is now the highest paid female athlete in history, with Forbes reporting that the tennis star earned a striking $37.4 million last year alone.

The 22-year-old athlete, who represents Japan eclipses 23-time grand slam champion Serena Williams, who earned $36 million last year. Osaka made her earnings from endorsements and prize money, she currently has 15 endorsement partners, not to mention her sports apparel deal with Nike.

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According to Forbes, Osaka’s 2019-2020 earning marks a one-year record for a female athlete, topping the previous mark of $29.7 million set by Maria Sharapova in 2015.

Despite being the highest-paid female athlete of all time, Naomi Osaka’s earnings only put her in the 29th spot on Forbes’ Top 100 highest-paid athletes list. Serena ranks number 33, marking the first time two female athletes have made the list. Despite her history-making record, Osaka’s win only highlights the massive gender pay gap between male and female athletes that persists.