Osaka tops Serena as world’s highest-paid female athlete
New York: Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka has become the world’s highest-paid female athlete, making USD 37.4 million (34.3 million euros) in the past 12 months for an earnings record, Forbes magazine reported Friday. The 22-year-old Asian star, a two-time Grand Slam champion, edged US rival Serena Williams by USD 1.4 million in prize money and endorsement income over the past year. Both shattered the old single-year earnings mark of $29.7 million set in 2015 by Russia’s Maria Sharapova, who retired in February with five Grand Slam titles, including a career Slam. “To those outside the tennis world, Osaka is a relatively fresh face with a great back story,” University of Southern California sports business professor David Carter told Forbes. “Combine that with being youthful and bicultural — two attributes that help her resonate with younger, global audiences — and the result is the emergence of a global sports marketing icon.” Osaka, whose father was born in Haiti and whose mother is Japanese, ranks 29th on the 2020 Forbes list of the world’s 100 top-paid athletes, four spots ahead of Williams, who has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles. (AFP)
Grand Slam winner Cooper dies
Sydney: Eight-time Grand Slam-winning Australian tennis player Ashley Cooper has died aged 83, the sport’s governing body said Friday. The former Australian, Wimbledon and US singles titleholder, was part of the golden era of Australian men’s tennis in the 1950s winning four Grand Slams singles titles and four in doubles. Tennis Australia announced the news, saying he would be remembered as “a giant of the game both as a brilliant player and an astute administrator.” “Ashley was also the most humble of champions and a great family man,” said Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley. “Our hearts go out to his wife Helen and his family, along with his wide and international circle of friends, including so many of our tennis family.” (AFP)
CWI begins hunt for women’s coach
St John’s: The Cricket West Indies (CWI) on Friday began the recruitment process within the Caribbean to find a permanent head coach for West Indies women’s team. ”Following the recently concluded Women’s T20 World Cup, we have now begun the recruitment process for finding a permanent Women’s team Head Coach,” Cricket West Indies’ (CWI) director of cricket, Jimmy Adams said. ”The successful candidate will be expected to drive our women’s program forward and improve our results across both formats,” he added. The new coach will replace Gus Logie, who had been the assistant coach of the women’s team since 2017 and was appointed as the interim head coach in October 2019. In the Women’s T20 World Cup earlier this year, Windies Women failed to qualify for the semi-finals with just one win out of the four games in the group stage. (UNI)