Naomi Osaka is the highest-paid female athlete for third consecutive year

Naomi Osaka is the highest-paid female athlete in the world for the third consecutive year.

On Forbes’ list of the highest-paid female athletes, Osaka occupied the top spot with $51.1 million earned this year.

After Osaka, Serena Williams comes in second place with $41.3 million.

Emma Raducanu came in fourth place with $18.7 million, while Iga Swiatek occupied the fifth spot with $14.9 million earned in 2022.

Three more tennis players – Venus Williams, Cori Gauff and Jessica Pegula – also made the top-10 of the highest-paid female athletes in the world for 2022.

Osaka hasn’t retired

Osaka hasn’t really played that much since she went public about her battle with depression and anxiety.

This year, Osaka appeared in a total of 11 tournaments. 

Osaka not playing that much in 2022 led to some speculating about the Japanese’s future.

But in a recent appearance on Good Morning America, Osaka confirmed she still wants to compete.

“I feel like I’m a very curious person. So, I’m grateful to have been given all these avenues to explore, so I am definitely looking forward to doing a lot of stuff but I am a tennis player, so if I don’t play tennis for too long I get an itch,” Osaka said on Good Morning America.

During the same appearance, Osaka admitted that initially she felt ashamed after going public about her battle with mental health issues.

“I felt like it was necessary, but I kind of felt ashamed at that moment because as an athlete you’re told to be strong and kind of push through everything. But I think I learned that it’s better to regroup and adjust the feelings that you have,” Osaka reflected.

Osaka hasn’t won any titles since winning the 2021 Australian Open. 

Osaka has two Australian Open titles in her collection and it will be interesting to see how far can she go at Melbourne Park in 2023.