Society

Osaka Naomi highest-paid female athlete ever

May 24 (NHK) - Japanese tennis player Osaka Naomi earned more than 37 million dollars in the past year, becoming the highest-earning female athlete ever.

The US business magazine Forbes reported in its online edition on Friday that the 37.4 million dollars Osaka made between June 2019 and the present included prize money and endorsements.

The 22-year-old tennis star won the US Open in September 2018 and the Australian Open in January 2019, placing her on top of world rankings. She is now ranked 10th in the world.

Forbes said the majority of her earnings came from her endorsement contracts, with Nike accounting for more than 10 million dollars in an agreement that runs through 2025.

She has signed up with a total of 15 companies in a wide range of sectors, including an auto maker, cosmetic firms and an airline.

Osaka beat the record for the highest-paid female athlete that had been held by Maria Sharapova, who earned 29.7 million dollars in a 12-month period. Sharapova won all the four grand slam tournaments before retiring in February. Osaka has eclipsed her by 7.7 million dollars.

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