Serena Williams is a tennis champion, widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time. But in addition to her impressive on-court achievements, she’s also become one of the world’s most successful female entrepreneurs and investors. From sponsorship deals to real estate holdings, Williams has accumulated an estimated net worth of $200 million, making her not only one of the richest female athletes but one of the wealthiest women in entertainment. In this post, we will explore Serena Williams’ remarkable career and provide three surprising facts about her amazing financial success.
Early Career Earnings
Williams began her professional tennis career at the age of 14 when she signed with IMG (International Management Group). By 1999, Williams was already earning seven figures in prize money and endorsements annually. During the first 15 years of her career, she earned over $60 million from tournament wins and sponsorships alone – a remarkable figure for any athlete, let alone one so young.
Grand Slam Winnings
Throughout her career, Williams has won 39 major singles titles – more than any other active player in men’s or women’s tennis history. She has also held all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously twice: once in 2002 and again in 2015. All told, Williams has collected more than $90 million in Grand Slam winnings throughout her career – making her the second highest earner in tennis behind Roger Federer.
Sponsorship Deals & Endorsements
In addition to winning prize money, Williams has leveraged her incredible talent into lucrative endorsement deals with some of the biggest brands in sports and lifestyle products. To date, she has secured partnerships with Nike, Gatorade, Wilson Sporting Goods, Beats by Dre, Intel, JPMorgan Chase, Audemars Piguet and many others. These companies have paid Williams millions of dollars in exchange for product placement and marketing campaigns featuring the legendary athlete.
Investment Portfolio
Williams has invested part of her earnings in venture capital funds that focus on technology startups such as Foursquare and HomeAway. She’s also put money into Coinbase, Uber, and several other digital currency platforms. Forbes estimates that Williams currently holds investments worth over $50 million.
Real Estate Holdings
Williams owns multiple properties across the United States including homes in Florida and Los Angeles. She purchased her Miami Beach mansion for nearly $12 million and it features 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, a pool and private beach access. Her Bel Air home is similarly extravagant, boasting 8 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms and sweeping views of Los Angeles.
Philanthropy
Williams is also committed to giving back to the community through philanthropic endeavors. She founded The Yetunde Price Resource Center (YPRC) to help victims of violence living in South Central LA obtain services and support. Additionally, she established the Serena Williams Fund to assist communities impacted by poverty, inequality and discrimination worldwide.
Net Worth Milestones
When Williams crossed the $100 million mark in 2011, she became only the fifth female athlete ever to reach that level of wealth. More recently, in 2016 she joined Oprah Winfrey and JK Rowling as one of just three female billionaires in entertainment. And last year, Williams became the first black woman to appear on Forbes’ World’s Highest Paid Athletes list with total earnings of $29.2 million in 2018 – another testament to her business savvy and impressive financial acumen.
Recent Financial Developments
Williams recently made headlines after launching S by Serena LLC – an apparel line targeting Millennials who want stylish fashion without breaking the bank. Since its launch earlier this year, S by Serena has grown rapidly thanks to strategic collaborations with companies like Rent the Runway, Lyst, Reebok and Adidas. With these new ventures providing additional streams of income, there’s no doubt that Williams will continue to increase her already impressive net worth well into the future.
Conclusion
From early tournament wins to multi-million dollar endorsement deals, Serena Williams has achieved phenomenal success both on and off the court. As one of the richest female athletes in the world today with an estimated net worth of $200 million, she serves as an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs everywhere. Through hard work, dedication and sound investment decisions, Williams continues to amass even greater wealth – proving that anything is possible with a little bit of drive and ambition!