Coco Gauff's achievements on the court and marketability led to her topping the Forbes list of the highest-paid female athletes. 10 other WTA players were ranked in the Top 20.
Gauff's early rise in tennis means she has generated much attention for many years. The American was just 15 years old during her memorable run to the fourth round of the Wimbledon Championships, which included a triumph against Venus Williams.
Despite her young age, Gauff has already established herself as one of the most charismatic personalities in tennis. She is always engaging and often humorous during interviews and press conferences.
Gauff also regularly communicates with her fans on social media, mostly on Instagram. That makes many feel particularly connected to the 20-year-old because she gives a unique insight into many different aspects of her life.
Although Gauff had many endorsements from a young age, these grew further after she won the 2023 US Open. Defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the final at Flushing Meadows sealed her place as a worldwide star.
Those factors led to Gauff being ranked as the most marketable tennis player in the world on SportsPro's list earlier this year. She finished ahead of massive names in the sport, such as Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
Gauff earns significant sums of money from endorsements, but her tennis results have also generated much financial reward. The world No. 3 claimed the largest paycheck ever given to a women's player after winning the WTA Finals: $4.805 million.
Sportico already estimated Gauff to be the highest-earning female athlete in 2024. However, Forbes' annual list is known for its accuracy and can be relied on to give an accurate summarization of where each athlete ranks.
Gauff is No. 1 on the list with an incredible $34.4 million earned. $9.4 million came from tennis tournaments, meaning over half of that total is a result of winning the WTA Finals. The other $25 million is from endorsements.
Iga Swiatek finished at No. 2. The Pole earned a substantial $23.8 million. $8.8 million of it was generated from results on the court, including winning a fourth French Open, with $15 million coming from endorsements.
This year's Olympic gold medalist in the women's singles, Qinwen Zheng, is No. 4 with $20.6 million. She is China's newest tennis star, and it is unsurprising that such a significant figure in a massive country generated a healthy $15 million in endorsements.
WTA world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka at No. 5 is one of just two tennis players in the Top 20 to earn more from tournaments than endorsements. The Belarusian made $18.7 million: $9.7 million on the court and $9 million off it.
Naomi Osaka and Emma Raducanu are tied for sixth with $12.9 million. Both women earned $12 million of that in endorsements and generated just under $1 million from tennis events in 2024.
Venus Williams is the other tennis player in the Top 10 at No. 9. She barely played in 2024, meaning just $100,000 of her total of $12.1 million came from tournaments. That shows how respected the 44-year-old's achievements remain.
Jasmine Paolini, at No. 14 with $8 million, is the other woman who made more on the court than in endorsements. Jessica Pegula at No. 11 with $10.2 million, Elena Rybakina at No. 15 with $7.9 million, and Leylah Fernandez at No. 18 with $6.5 million are the other tennis players on the list.