Gauff Finishes As No. 2 WTA Prize Money Earner In 2024 Despite Huge WTA Finals Payday

Coco Gauff secured the largest paycheck in women's tennis history at the 2024 WTA Finals, but that was still not enough to see her finish at No. 1 on the year-end prize money list.

The American earned an incredible $4.805 million for winning her maiden WTA Finals title. She defeated Qinwen Zheng in a deciding set tiebreak after one of the season's best and most grueling matches.

Gauff was left speechless after being informed about the prize money amount. The 20-year-old had not checked before the tournament began and struggled to comprehend what she would do with that amount.

Although Gauff had reservations about the WTA Finals being held in Saudi Arabia because of the country's human rights, the country always offers vast sums for the players at its sporting events.

The significance of the prize money is demonstrated by Gauff earning more at the WTA Finals than at all her other events in 2024 combined, despite achievements like winning the China Open and reaching the Australian Open, French Open, and Indian Wells Open semifinals.

Gauff made $9,353,847 in prize money throughout 2024. That took her close to the No. 1 player on the list, but the massive paycheck from the WTA Finals was not enough to take her to the top.

Aryna Sabalenka collected the most prize money in 2024. The Belarusian also finished as the year-end No. 1 on the WTA rankings after an excellent season, including winning the Australian Open and US Open titles.

Sabalenka was the world's No. 3 player before the North American hardcourt season began after Wimbledon, but titles at the Cincinnati Open, US Open, and Wuhan Open saw her overtake Iga Swiatek.

The three-time Grand Slam champion ended 2024 having earned $9,729,260 in prize money. Had she reached the final of the WTA Finals, she would have surpassed $10 million, but Gauff beat her in straight sets in the semifinal.

Read also

Gauff Ahead Of Sabalenka And Swiatek In Alternative Rankings

Iga Swiatek is No. 3 on the prize money list with $8,550,693. During an outstanding first half of the season, she won the French Open and four WTA 1000 titles, taking a significant lead at No. 1 in the rankings.

However, a drop in form afterward and not playing for nearly two months after splitting with her coach, Tomasz Wiktorowski, allowed Sabalenka to overtake her.

Jasmine Paolini and Qinwen Zheng are No. 4 and No. 5 on the list, with $5,820,798 and $5,559,555, respectively. Paolini reached two Grand Slam finals and won the Billie Jean King Cup with Italy, while Zheng was a gold medalist at the Paris Olympics.

Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, Jessica Pegula, Elena Rybakina, Elise Mertens, and Emma Navarro are the other players in the Top 10. Mertens' doubles success was a significant reason for being at No. 9.

Danielle Collins, Jelena Ostapenko, Katerina Siniakova, Caroline Dolehide, Paula Badosa, and Beatriz Haddad Maia are the other players who earned more than $2 million in prize money.

36 players made more than $1 million. This includes teenage prodigy Mirra Andreeva, Karolina Muchova, Ons Jabeur, Anna Kalinskaya, Donna Vekic, Leylah Fernandez, and Caroline Garcia.

Read also

Gauff Teases Fans As She Drops Big Hint About Collaboration With Sponsor