Getty US player Serena Williams celebrates after winning against Germany's Julia Goerges during their women's singles semi-final match on the tenth day of the 2018 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 12, 2018. - Williams won the match 6-2, 6-4.
Serena Williams is one of the most famous tennis players in the world, and her net worth certainly reflects that.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, the 36-year-old has an estimated net worth of $180 million.
Interested in learning more about where that money comes from? Read on.
1. She Signed a Multi-Year Deal with Upper Deck in May
GettySerena Williams has withdrawn from the French Open because of an arm injury.
In May, Serena signed an exclusive multi-year deal with Upper Deck, a trading card and collectibles company.
In a statement about her new deal with the company, Williams said, “I love my fans. They support me through everything, and I want them to know how much I appreciate them. I want to show them that appreciation by giving something unique, and I feel like the least I can do is sign something that will bring them joy. Working with Upper Deck allows me to achieve that on a grand scale.”
According to the PR announcement about the deal, Williams’ signed memorabilia includes limited-edition images, jumbo tennis balls like Nike tennis shoes, and other “unique” pieces.
The company’s roster includes stars like Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, and Wayne Gretzky. To view Serena Williams’ gallery at Upper Deck, click here.
2. She Has Earned More Prize Money Than Any Other Female Tennis Player in History
GettySerena Williams.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Williams had earned upwards of $70 million in prize money by August 2013.
She holds 23 Grand Slam singles titles– the most by a tennis player in the Open Era. She is also the only tennis player in history to have won singles at least six times in three or four Grand Slam tournaments.
Williams has won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles with her sister, Venus.
The athlete was born in Michigan and is the youngest of five daughters. By the time she was just 10, Williams was ranked No. 1 among under-10 players in Florida.
3. She Is Endorsed by Nike
Today, Williams is endorsed by Nike. She also has endorsement deals with Gatorade, Delta Air Lines, Audemars Piguet, Aston Martin, Pepsi, Beats by Dre, and others. According to Tennis World USA, Serena earned $27 million from endorsements and prize money events from May 2016 to 2017.
In 2003, Williams signed a $55 million deal with Nike, according to reports obtained by Chief Marketer.
The news came the year after Williams’ contract with Puma had expired.
In March, Williams was featured in a new Nike ad titled “Until We All Win”. In the empowering piece, Williams discusses the contradictions she’s faced in her life and career. She says in a voiceover, “I’ve never been the right kind of woman. Oversized and overconfident. Too mean if I don’t smile. Too black for my tennis whites. Too motivated for motherhood. But I am proving, time and time again, there’s no wrong way to be a woman.” The ad received praise from many people on social media, who felt they identified with what Williams was saying.
4. She Listed Her Home Last for $12 Million
GettySerena Williams.
Last year, Williams listed her Bel Air mansion for $12 million. She purchased the home in 2006 for $6.612.
According to FTW, the home was built in 1935 and sits on 2.7 acres. It includes a gym and personal salon and has private hiking trails and gardens. The home includes six bedrooms and seven bathrooms.
In April 2018, Bleacher Report revealed that Williams dropped the price to $9,995,000.
Her house isn’t the only thing she’s putting on the market. In May, Tennis World USA revealed that Williams was selling a vacant lot (2.4 acres) in Florida for $6 million.
She purchased the lost in 2013 for $4.12 million, and earned $1.88 million from its sale.
5. She Invested in Mobli in 2012
Serena Williams with a special 23 Grand Slam Tennis Racket on January 28, 2017. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty)
Along with her many endorsements and her prize money, Williams is also an investor. According to The Street, she invested in Mobli, a social media site, in 2012. She is also an investor in Mayvenn, where stylists can “sell wigs and weaves to their clients”, along with Daily Harvest.
In December 2017, Fortune revealed that Daily Harvest had raised $43 million in funding.
Other A-listers who have backed Daily Harvest include Gwyneth Paltrow and chef Bobby Flay.
What does Williams look for when it comes to investments? “Whether it’s something she believes in,” reports CNBC.