Professional athletes are distinguished from their amateur counterparts by virtue of being paid and in the world of female sports the top ten competitors are highly rewarded for their work on and off the court.
While they might kick butt in their respective sports some of the world’s best female athletes have also been blessed with a brain for business which comes in handy when trying to make money off the court.
Maria Sharapova: $31.5 million According to Forbes magazine Maria Sharapova still reigns supreme as the highest paid woman in sport earning an estimated $31.5 million in 2013. The 1.88 meter Russian tennis champ is a marketers dream and has signed lucrative deals with sponsors Nike and Head and Tag Heuer. The 27-year-old also founded premium confectionary brand, Sugarpova in 2013 which has generated an estimated $6 million in global sales.
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Serena Williams: $20.5 million Serena Williams is ranked no. 1 on the women’s tennis tour but comes second in the money stakes. According to Forbes 31-year-old Williams has taken out $12 million dollars in prize money throughout her career and currently pitches for Nike, Wilson, Gatorade and nail polish brand, OPI.
Li Na: $18.2 million Li Na first made waves in women’s tennis after reaching two Grand Slam finals and winning the French Open in 2011. According to Forbes the Chinese national has collected about $3.2 million in prize money over the course of her career and about $15 million in endorsement deals for Rolex, Babolat, Nike, Samsung and Mercedes, as well as many brands in her native China.
Victoria Azarenka: $15.7 million Belarusian tennis player Victoria Azarenka has hauled an estimated $6.7 million dollars in prize money throughout her career. The 24-year-old also earns crazy money spruiking brands Nike, Wilson, American Express, Six Star Pro Nutrition, InstaForex and Citizen Watch.
Danica Patrick: $15 million Danica Patrick is the female athlete beating the boys at their own game. The 32-year-old Nascar Sprint Cup series driver is earning the big bucks racing the boys and has scored an impressive $6 million in prize money and $9 million in endorsements, according to Forbes.
Kim Yuna: $14 million Figure skater Kim Yuna is a superstar in her native South Korea. The 23-year-old world champion has dozens of sponsors including Samsung Electronics, Korean Air and KB Financial.
Caroline Wozniacki: $13.6 million Professional tennis player Caroline Wozniacki famously told Britain’s Telegraph in 2012 that she felt tennis players were “underpaid” despite saying she had once taken home $783,600 in a single day. The former world number one – who earned $150 for her first professional appearance – has since received a significant pay rise with Forbes reporting that the Danish athlete has earned $11 million for endorsements alone.
Agnieszka Radwanska: $7.4 million While she might sit at eighth on the rich list but Polish tennis player Agnieszka Radwanska still walks away a winner. According to Forbes the 25-year-old has earned $4.9 million in prize money and another $2.5 million in endorsement deals.
Ana Ivanovic: $7 million Tennis’ glamour girl, Ana Ivanovic, 26, is and will continue to be one of the richest women in sport thanks to the Serb’s lifetime agreement with Adidas. The attractive athlete also has penned deals with Yonex, Rolex, Juice Plus and Dubai Duty Free.
Paula Creamer: $5.5 million American golfer Paula Creamer may not have won a tournament since her 2010 US Open victory but that hasn’t stopped the 27-year-old from making bank in endorsement deals. According to Forbes Creamer made an estimated $4.5 million in deals with Adidas, Citizen Watch, CDW, Ricoh and Bridgestone.
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