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PORT-WOMEN-BUSINESS
Serena again tops Forbes list of highest-paid sports women
WASHINGTON, Aug 7, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – US tennis superstar Serena Williams
topped Forbes magazine’s list of the highest paid women in sports for the
fourth straight year on Tuesday.
The business publication calculated that the 23-time Grand Slam singles
champion earned $29.2 million in the 12-month period ending June 1 — with
just $4.2 million of that coming from prize money.
Japan’s Naomi Osaka, who burst to international stardom with a stunning
upset of Williams in the 2018 US Open final and went on to win the Australian
Open in January, became just the fourth woman to earn more than $20 million
in a year — after Williams and tennis stars Maria Sharapova and Li Na.
Forbes pegged Osaka’s earnings at $24.3 million, putting her second on a
list dominated by tennis players.
Former Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber was third on the list with
earnings of $11.8 million followed by this year’s Wimbledon champion Simona
Halep.
Forbes included prize money, salaries, bonuses, endorsements and appearance
fees between June 1, 2018, and June 1, 2019 in the figures.
The highest placed athlete from a different sport was US footballer Alex
Morgan, who clocked in at 12th. Morgan earned $5.8 million, most of it in
endorsements.
Indian badminton star PV Sindhu and Thai golfer Ariya Jutanugarn were the
other non-tennis players in the top 15.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0912 hrs