Czech tennis star Vondroušová among highest-paid female athletes in 2023

Czech tennis sensation Markéta Vondroušová was the 20th highest-paid female athlete in 2023, according to Forbes' list of the top earning female athletes of the year. The 24-year-old Wimbledon champion claimed an impressive $5.2 million (about CZK 116 million) throughout the year.

Vondroušová's on-court earnings amounted to $4.7 million (CZK 105 million), primarily fueled by her unexpected triumph at Wimbledon. Forbes further estimated her sponsorship contracts to be around $500,000 (CZK 11 million). This marks the first time that Vondroušová has entered the elite group of the highest-paid female athletes.

The top spot on the Forbes list of top earning female athletes was clinched by Polish tennis star Iga Świątek, who amassed an impressive $23.9 million (CZK 533 million) throughout the year.

Forbes compiled the rankings based on official salaries, prize money, and estimated profits from sponsorship contracts. Vondroušová's surprise victory at Wimbledon, going from unseeded underdog to tournament victor, significantly contributed to her earnings. Her prize for winning Wimbledon was a cool $3 million (CZK 67 million).

The Forbes list of highest-paid female athletes is dominated by tennis players, with twelve of them securing spots in the top 20, and nine among the top 10. The only exception in the top 10 is acrobatic skier Eileen Gu, a United States native who represents China, who came in second with $22.1 million (CZK 492 million) despite minimal competition this year.

US Open tennis winner Coco Gauff and British tennis sensation Emma Raducanu came in third and fourth, earning $21.7 million (CZK 484 million) and $15.2 million (CZK 340 million), respectively.

Japanese player Naomi Osaka was the fifth highest earning female athlete this year with $15 million (CZK 335 million), primarily from partnerships, as she took a break from tennis after giving birth in July.

The top ten also includes players like Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus, Americans Jessica Pegula and Venus Williams, Jelena Rybakina from Kazakhstan, and Canadian Leylah Fernandez.

Markéta Vondroušová's remarkable year, highlighted by her Wimbledon victory, has not only added a prestigious title to her career but has also elevated her to a notable position among the highest-paid female athletes globally.