Coco Gauff Tops Forbes as the Highest-Paid Female Athlete for the Third Straight Year
French Open champion and two-time Grand Slam singles winner, Coco Gauff, has put her racquet to great use this year and racked up.
Transforming on-court wins into money, tennis phenomenon Gauff has generated around $33 million over the last year, according to an article published by Forbes. This year marks the third consecutive year that Gauff’s earnings have made her the highest-paid female athlete.
The 21-year-old Florida-raised professional has accumulated $8 million, which she earned through her strategic, persistent and highly skilled tennis play.
The remaining $25 million Gauff earned through various endorsements, including New Balance, Bose and Baker Tilly.
Image Credit: Coco Gauff (Instagram)
The tennis player ranks first among female athletes for income earned outside of their sports. Forbes also recognized her as one of the 14 total athletes in 2025 to exceed $10 million in earnings.
While her pockets grow, her accolades on the court continue to accumulate. The talented athelete had a groundbreaking season, including scoring her second Grand Slam win and securing a victory and WTA 1000 title at the 2025 Wuhan Open.
She became the first American woman to win the French Open since Serena Williams in 2015, according to CBS News. Gauff is also recognized as the youngest woman this century to finish a season in the top three of the Women’s Tennis Association.
Beyond Gauff’s personal achievements, her success is significant to the essence of being a woman in sports. In 2025, female athletes have consistently made headlines for speaking out against gender pay inequities. There has been an undervaluation of women in comparison to male athletes.
Image Credit: Coco Gauff (Instagram)
Sports such as tennis, soccer and basketball have all been affected. Athletes, including WNBA stars A’ja Wilson, Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier, have all advocated for female athletes receiving increased pay.
While the fight for equality in pay is ongoing, Gauff’s financial success demonstrates that with consistency, women are moving in the right direction and changing the trajectory of gender inequity in sports.
The Grand Slam champion serves as a reminder that women, too, can be compensated just as much as men, earning top-tier salaries while still receiving major attention, endorsements and excelling in their sport.
Gauff’s 2025 success has combined victories, record-breaking achievements and millions of dollars. Most importantly, for the third consecutive year, she continues to dominate and conquer with her talents.
