Nine WTA players feature in the top 15 of the highest-paid female athletes for 2024, but Casper Ruud believes no one except the players and their agents “know the real numbers” of endorsement contracts. Sportico – who is part of the Penske Media Corporation – released its latest list and world No 3 Gauff sits […]
Nine WTA players feature in the top 15 of the highest-paid female athletes for 2024, but Casper Ruud believes no one except the players and their agents “know the real numbers” of endorsement contracts.
Sportico – who is part of the Penske Media Corporation – released its latest list and world No 3 Gauff sits top of the pile with estimated earnings of $30.4m during the 12 months.
Just under one-third of Gauff’s earnings ($9.4m) came from prize money as sourced by the WTA Tour, which keeps a record of each player’s prize earnings during the season.
The report adds that Gauff earned $21m through her endorsement deals with the likes of New Balance, Head, L’Oreal and juice brand Naked.
Freestyle skier Eileen Gu is second on the list with $22.1m in earnings ($62k prize money and $22m endorsements) with world No 2 Iga Swiatek third ($21.4m in total with $13m from endorsements).
Swiatek was followed by fellow tennis stars Zheng Qinwen ($20.6m in total), reigning world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka ($17.7m), four-time major winner Naomi Osaka ($15.9m) and 2021 US Open winner Emma Raducanu ($14.7m).
Jasmine Paolini (11th with $10m), Jessica Pegula, Tennis (13th – $8.2m) and Elena Rybakina (14th – $7.9m) also feature.
World No 6 Ruud admits he is a bit puzzled by the figures that were used, stating in a reply on an X post about the earnings list: “How do you/they know? Have you seen all of Emma, Aryna and Elena’s contracts with your own eyes?”
When it was pointed out that Sportico stated: “The endorsement earnings estimates were compiled through conversations with those familiar with marketing agreements and also include royalties, memorabilia, appearance fees, media and businesses tied to their celebrity. The figures are all before taxes and any agent fees.”
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Despite the explanation, the three-time Grand Slam finalist still feels “it’s a guessing game” when it comes to the figures that are being shared.
“Fair enough, but even for them (sportico) it’s a guessing game.. there’s no way an agent would ever give access to their players contracts so in reality only the agent & player know the real numbers.. they should write «highest estimated payed [paid] athletes» in stead…” he wrote.
It was then put to Ruud that he was the ninth-highest paid tennis player in the Forbes rich list for 2024 as he reportedly earned $10m.
“Could you confirm if this 10M is an estimated or the actual number? This way we can help in how to treat this kind of articles,” journalist Jose Moron replied.
However, there was no answer from the Norwegian to confirm if the figures were real or an estimate.
