Forbes has released its 2025 list of the world’s highest-paid female athletes, based on earnings over the past 12 months—and once again, women’s tennis dominates the Top 20. American Coco Gauff leads the group for the second consecutive year, thanks largely to her impressive endorsement portfolio. Year 2025 also belonged to Elena Rybakina, whose WTA Finals triumph in Riyadh earned her the largest single-event prize in women’s tennis history: a $5.235 million payday. Despite these record-breaking earnings, male athletes still outpace women by a wide margin.
Total earnings of Top 20 female athletes in the past 12 months were $293 million, a 13% increase from 2024, while the cutoff to make the Top 20 rose to $8.