Naomi Osaka, Emma Raducanu, Eileen Gu among 5 highest-paid female athletes of 2022
By Bryan Ke
Three female athletes of Asian descent — Emma Raducanu, Eileen Gu and Naomi Osaka — have reached the top five of Forbes’ list of highest-paid female athletes in 2022.
Published on Thursday, the list named Osaka, 25, as this year’s highest-paid female athlete with total earnings of $51.1 million. She reportedly made $1.1 million on-field and made the remaining $50 million off-field.
Despite sustaining several injuries this year, the Japanese tennis player still has an extensive endorsement portfolio and works with Nike, Nissan, Airbnb and Nippon Airways, to name a few.
Besides the endorsement deals, Osaka has also established several companies, including the production company Hana Kuma and her skincare line KINLÒ, which is inspired by her Japanese and Haitian heritage.
Next up on the list at No. 3 is Chinese American freestyle skier Gu. Born in San Francisco, the 19-year-old Olympic gold medalist reportedly earned a total of $20.1 million this year, the majority of which came from off-field, such as endorsements with Red Bull and Therabody. A Stanford University student, Gu also models for Louis Vuitton.
At No. 4 is 20-year-old British tennis player Raducanu, who was born to a Chinese mother and a Romanian father. She reportedly made a total of $18.7 million this year. The athlete, who won the U.S. Open in September 2021, frequently posts on social media, and her branded posts reportedly had the highest average engagement of any female tennis player in 2022.
Raducanu notably defeated Serena Williams — who took the No. 2 spot on Forbes’ list at $41.3 million — at the 2022 Cincinnati Open in August.
Other names on the list include Polish tennis player Iga Świątek at No. 5 ($14.9 million), American tennis player Venus Williams at No. 6 ($12.1 million), American tennis player Coco Gauff at No. 7 ($11.1 million), American gymnast Simone Biles at No. 8 ($10 million), American tennis player Jessica Pegula at No. 9 ($7.6 million) and Korean Australian golfer Minjee Lee at No. 10 ($7.3 million).
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