Regular people have to pay a lot of money to stay in shape. Gym memberships, exercise gear, equipment, and bottles of water—the price to get fit is up there. For a few lucky women, dedication to sports and fitness has paid off big time. The top female athletes in the world never have to pay for an expensive tennis racket or a pair of Lululemon pants ever again—in fact, they’re paid to use a certain racket or workout in a pair of Lululemon pants. These are the top paid female athletes of 2013:
5) Danica Patrick: $15 million total earnings
Pictured: Danica Patrick
Danica Sue Patrick is an American auto racing driver, model, and spokeswoman. She is the most successful woman in the history of open-wheel American racing. She won pole position at the Daytona 500 and finished eighth in the race, the highest finish ever for a female driver at Daytona. She has also appeared in a record 12 Super Bowl commercials in the last seven years for Go Daddy. Go Daddy is the primary sponsor of her Sprint Cup car. In 2013, Patrick earned $9 million in endorsement deals and $6 million in salary.
4) Victoria Azarenka: $15.7 million total earnings
Pictured: Victoria Azarenka
Victoria Azarenka is a Belarusian professional tennis player born July 31, 1989. In 2012 Azarenka set a record for winning the most prize money by any female athlete in any sport. She made $6.7 million between June 2012 and June 2013. In January 2013 she won her second straight Australian Open. Her endorsement partners include Nike, Wilson, InstaForex, Citizen Watch, Six Star Pro Nutrition and Red Bull.
3) Li Na: $18.2 million total earnings
Pictured: Li Na
In 2011, Li Na became famous when she reached two Grand Slam finals and won the French Open title. Her win made her the first Asian-born tennis player to ever win a Grand Slam singles event. In 2013 her endorsement deals with Nike, Babolat, Samsung, Mercedes, and Rolex earned her $15 million.
