Coco Gauff has ascended to the pinnacle of female sports earnings in 2024, eclipsing elite athletes like Iga Swiatek, Emma Raducanu, and Caitlin Clark. According to Sportico, the American tennis sensation amassed a staggering £23 million ($30.4 million) this year, with a lion’s share deriving from off-court endorsements.
On-court success also played a part, as Gauff reached the semi-finals of the Australian and French Opens, earning £7 million ($9 million) in prize money. However, her financial dominance is largely due to her endorsement portfolio, which includes lucrative deals with Head, Barilla Foods, UPS, and Baker Tilly. Her flagship partnership with New Balance stands out, with Gauff serving as the face of their women’s tennis division and promoting her signature tennis shoe throughout the year.
Remarkably, Gauff becomes only the third female athlete in history to surpass £23 million ($30 million) in annual earnings, following tennis icons Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams. Her achievement highlights the lucrative opportunities in women’s tennis, particularly as the WTA works towards achieving equal prize money across the sport by 2033. Tennis players dominated the top 15 earners list for women this year, with nine entries, including Gauff, Swiatek (£16.5m/$21m), Qinwen Zheng (£16m/$20.6m), and world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka (£14m/$18m).
Other sports made their presence felt, with golf contributing three entries to the list and gymnastics (Simone Biles), skiing (Eileen Gu), and basketball (Caitlin Clark) claiming one spot each. Indiana Fever’s Clark had a sensational rookie year, earning £8.6 million ($11.1 million), of which an overwhelming £8.5 million ($11 million) stemmed from endorsements. Clark’s impact on the WNBA has been transformative, driving record-breaking increases in viewership, ticket sales, and merchandise revenue.
This historic financial year underscores the evolving dynamics of women’s sports, where trailblazers like Gauff and Clark are reshaping the narrative around earnings and visibility, carving a path for future athletes to thrive on and off the field.
