Naomi Osaka Becomes the Highest-Paid Female Athlete in History

Naomi Osaka is now the highest paid female athlete in history, with Forbes reporting that the tennis star earned a striking $37.4 million last year alone.

The 22-year-old athlete, who represents Japan eclipses 23-time grand slam champion Serena Williams, who earned $36 million last year. Osaka made her earnings from endorsements and prize money, she currently has 15 endorsement partners, not to mention her sports apparel deal with Nike.

According to Forbes, Osaka's 2019-2020 earning marks a one-year record for a female athlete, topping the previous mark of $29.7 million set by Maria Sharapova in 2015.

Despite being the highest-paid female athlete of all time, Naomi Osaka's earnings only put her in the 29th spot on Forbes' Top 100 highest-paid athletes list. Serena ranks number 33, marking the first time two female athletes have made the list. Despite her history-making record, Osaka's win only highlights the massive gender pay gap between male and female athletes that persists.