Badminton ace PV Sindhu is world's seventh highest paid female athlete

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Top-seeded Indian badminton player PV Sindhu is the seventh 'Highest-Paid Female Athletes' for the year 2018, according to a list by Forbes. The 23-year-old's total earning stands at $8.5 million, with primary sources of income being badminton championships and endorsements.

“The Indian badminton player burst on the scene with a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics. She was the first Indian female athlete to win a silver. The 23-year-old has a robust sponsor roster with Bridgestone, Gatorade, Nokia, Panasonic, Reckitt Benckiser and a half-dozen other brands,” writes Forbes.

The Forbes article states that her prize money amounts to $500,000 while endorsements stand at $8 million.

Sindhu is the first Indian woman to win a silver medal at Rio Olympics. She also won silvers at Women's singles at Commonwealth Games 2018, 2017 BWF World Championships and 2018 BWF World Championships.

She is also the only player in the world, after Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei, to win three consecutive Silvers in three major tournaments after winning her second Silver at World Championship in 2018.

Tennis player Serena Williams emerged on the top of the list with a total earning of $18.1 million.

Sindhu and retired race car driver Danica Patrick ($7.5 million earnings) are the only non-tennis players to crack the top 10 of the list, filling up the seventh and ninth spots, respectively.

Top 10 Highest-Paid Female Athletes 2018 by Forbes

1. Serena Williams — Total earnings: $18.1 million (Prize money: $62,000, Endorsements: $18 million)

2. Caroline Wozniacki — Total earnings: $13 million (Prize money: $7 million, Endorsements: $6 million)

3. Sloane Stephens — Total earnings: $11.2 million (Prize money: $5.7 million, Endorsements: $5.5 million)

4. Garbine Muguruza — Total earnings: $11 million (Prize money: $5.5 million, Endorsements: $5.5 million)

5. Maria Sharapova — Total earnings: $10.5 million (Prize money: $1 million, Endorsements: $9.5 million)

6. Venus Williams — Total earnings: $10.2 million (Prize money: $4.2 million, Endorsements: $6 million)

7. P.V. Sindhu — Total earnings: $8.5 million (Prize money: $500,000, Endorsements: $8 million)

8. Simona Halep — Total earnings: $7.7 million (Prize money: $6.2 million, Endorsements: $1.5 million)

9. Danica Patrick — Total earnings: $7.5 million (Salary/prize money: $3 million, Endorsements: $4.5 million)

10. Angelique Kerber — Total earnings: $7 million (Prize money: $3 million, Endorsements: $4 million)

Interestingly, not a single women ranked among the world's 100 highest-paid athletes, a list dominated by men.