For the third consecutive year, 21-year-old Coco Gauff has been named the world’s highest-paid female athlete, according to Forbes’ 2025 rankings, once again proving that her dominance stretches far beyond the baseline.
Gauff earned an estimated $33 million over the past year, combining $8 million in prize money with a staggering $25 million from endorsements and business ventures. While her total represents a slight dip from the $34.4 million she earned in 2024, the figure keeps her firmly atop women’s sports earnings and reinforces her position as one of the most commercially powerful athletes of her generation.
Her on-court success played a major role. Gauff’s French Open victory in May added another Grand Slam to her wins, making her one of the WTA Tour’s most consistent champions. The win also continued a historic run that began with her U.S. Open triumph in 2023. She is one of the few women to surpass $30 million in annual earnings. This is milestone previously reached only by Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka.
Tennis overwhelmingly dominated Forbes’ list this year. Eight of the top 10 highest-paid female athletes come from the sport, with Aryna Sabalenka ranking second at $30 million and Iga Świątek next at $25.1 million. Rising stars and established champions alike filled out the top tier, including Qinwen Zheng, Madison Keys, Naomi Osaka, Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula.
Beyond the court, Gauff’s endorsement portfolio includes New Balance, Mercedes-Benz, Bose, Rolex and Fanatics, among others. She has also taken a more hands-on role in shaping her business future, launching Coco Gauff Enterprises and branching out into media development through partnerships that reach beyond traditional sports marketing.
The Forbes list also highlights the growing financial power of women’s sports more broadly. Freestyle skier Eileen Gu ranked fourth overall, while golfers, track stars and WNBA standouts like Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu, and Angel Reese cracked the top 20.
