Serena Williams' net worth, prize money, endorsements and investments
Serena Williams is arguably the greatest female tennis player of all time. The American has had an incredible career during which she has won 96 titles across singles and doubles, including a total of 37 Grand Slams. She also has four Olympic golds to her name.
As her career progressed, Serena Williams became one of the highest-paid athletes in the world - through her earnings from tennis, endorsements and various business ventures.
Serena Williams' Prize Money
Serena Williams showed glimpses of her talent from 1995 to1998, but it was in 1999 that she truly established herself as a quality player. She won her first title that year, winning the Open Gaz de France and earned $80,000 in prize money.
From then onwards the American excelled in Grand Slams and other tournaments, which ensured she was the highest paid female athlete in the world for several years. Williams' total prize money so far is a whopping $94,518,971, the most for any female athlete ever. In fact, according to Forbes, her earnings from prize money are twice as much as that of any other female athlete.
Endorsements and Sponsorships
During the early years of her career, Williams signed an endorsement deal with Puma, who paid her $13 million. In 2004, she signed a $40 million endorsement deal with Nike. Her contract also had a three-year extension option that would see her earn $55 million provided she met certain performance incentives.
Serena Williams showed off her matching Nike swimsuit with daughter Olympia in an Instagram post earlier this year.
"When @nike makes a swimsuit for not just @olympiaohanian but @realqaiqai too," she captioned her Instagram post.
Other companies Williams has had endorsements with include Wilson, Gatorade, Delta Air Lines, IBM, Pepsi, Beats by Dre, JP Morgan Chase, Audemars Piguet, Bumble, Upper Deck and Intel.
She is also Aston Martin's Chief Sporting Officer.
Investments and Business Ventures
Serena Williams owns a clothing line called 'S for Serena' and has invested in as many as 66 startups so far. She and sister Venus are minority owners of the NFL's Miami Dolphins. The 40-year-old also owned a few clothing businesses in the 2000s, including a designer apparel line called 'Aneres'.
Serena Williams' Net Worth
At present, Williams' net worth is estimated to be around $225 million. Over the years, the 40-year-old has cemented her status as one of the richest athletes on the planet and there's no doubt her net worth will only rise from here.
Serena Williams has been consistently brilliant on the court for more than two decades and that has helped her from a sporting as well as financial perspective.
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