Forbes has released its latest highest-paid athletes list that is centered on female athletes.
According to Forbes, the top 10 women on the list combined to earn $167 million in 2021, which is up 23 percent from 2020.
Five of the top 10 are tennis players, and Naomi Osaka leads the way with $57.3 million in 2020 earnings, up from the $37.4 million she made in 2020.
Two golfers make the 2021 list: Jin Young Ko at No. 6 and Nelly Korda at No. 9.
Chalk another one up for Ko in this budding rivalry. A big chunk of Ko’s 2021 earnings came from the $1.5 million she banked for winning the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship. Korda won a major last year and remains No. 1 in the LPGA rankings.
Forbes also breaks down earnings on and off the field of play. For Ko made $7.5 million in 2021, with $3.5 million from winnings and $4 million from endorsements. Her top sponsors are LG Electronics, Korean Air, Jeju SamDaSoo mineral water and Rejuran skincare products.
Korda, who was also recently named to Forbes’ 2022 30 Under 30 list in the sports category, totaled $5.9 million, with $2.4 million coming from earnings and $3.5 million in endorsements. Forbes says she has more than ten sponsors, including Hanwha Q Cells, a manufacturer of solar cells, and UKG, a tech company focused on workforce management.
The Forbes list:
Naomi Osaka, $57.3 million
Serena Williams, $45.9 million
Venus Williams, $11.3 million
Simone Biles, $10.1 million
Garbine Mugurua, $8.8 million
Jin Young Ko, $7.5 million
P.V. Shindu, $7.2 million
Ashleigh Barty, $6.9 million
Nelly Korda, $5.9 million
Candace Parker $5.7 million
Forbes notes that on its 2021 highest-paid athletes list, which was released in May and is made up of men and women, Osaka was No. 12 and Williams at No. 28, the only two women in the top 50.