Sports stands as one of the highest-paid professions globally because of vast financial rewards and entertainment value. However, despite many achievements, female athletes continue to earn substantially less than male athletes. Forbes' 2023 ranking highlighted this vast difference, with the top 20 male athletes gather $1.9 billion, more than eight times the earnings of the top 20 women. Today, we shift our focus to the top 20 highest-paid female athletes of the 2023-24 period and how much do they make in a year including prize money, endorsements and net worth.

The leading business magazine Forbes has revealed the world's highest-paid female athletes list. Twelve out of 20 athletes are from the world of tennis and dominate the chart. While Indian star shuttler PV Sindhu is India's sole representative on the list. she finished at the 16th spot alongside gymnast Simone Biles with her $7.1 million earnings.

Highest-paid Female Athletes | Top 20 List

1. Iga Swiatek (Tennis) | $23.9 million

At the age of 22, women's tennis world No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland topped the highest-paid female athletes list with an estimated $23.9 million (before taxes and agents' fees). In 2023, Swiatek was recognised as one of tennis's brightest stars by winning the second consecutive WTA Player of the Year Award. She has now spent a total of 82 weeks at the top spot, ranking 10th in WTA history. Swiatek also occupies the 14th position on the tour's career prize money list, boasting nearly $25 million in earnings.

Swiatek earned $14 million of her income through endorsements. Visa, On shoes and apparel, Oshee sports drinks and information technology company Infosys are some of the prominent brands endorsed by Swiatek.

2. Eileen Gu (Freestyle skiing) | $22.1 million

Eileen Gu, the freestyle skier and model, came in second on the top highest-paid female athletes list. She made $22.1 million in 2023, with the majority of her earnings coming from endorsements. Brands such as Mengniu Dairy and sportswear giant Anta in China, as well as luxury labels like Louis Vuitton and Victoria's Secret in the West, have all invested in partnerships with Gu. She was born in San Francisco but represented China in competition.

Despite struggling with a knee injury, Gu made a successful return in December and clinched victory in halfpipe events in both China and Colorado during her first World Cup action in 11 months.

Also Read: The Soaring Value of Women's Sports: A Game-Changer in the Sports World

3. Coco Gauff (Tennis) | $21.7 million

Coco Gauff enjoyed the biggest season of her career in 2023 on the court, highlighted by her breakthrough victory at the US Open, her first Grand Slam title. Gauff has won four WTA tournaments in 2023 and as a result, she achieved a career-best No. 3 ranking in singles.

Apart from that, Gauff also raked in the deals and endorsements off the court, too. She has an estimated net worth of $21.7 million. 19-year-old Gauff demonstrated her commercial appeal by securing partnerships with brands such as Baker Tilly, Bose, and UPS this year. Recognized for her passion for Marvel superheroes, Gauff was featured in an advertisement for the 2023 film "The Marvels" and graced the cover of a limited-edition Invincible Iron Man comic book.

4. Emma Raducanu (Tennis) | $15.2 million

2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu, number three last year, played only 10 matches in 2023 as she underwent surgery on both her wrists and one ankle midway through the way. Despite this, she earned $15.2 million this campaign with $15 million coming from endorsements. Raducanu has an endorsement deal with HSBC, Tiffany, British Airways, Christian Dior, Vodafone, Porsche and Evian.

5. Naomi Osaka (Tennis) | $15 million

Naomi Osaka has not played an event since September 2022 till last year as as she gave birth to a daughter in July. Osaka has an estimated net worth of $15 million, which came only through endorsements.

Osaka cut way back on her sponsor commitments in 2023, but she did add a new partner three months ago; Meta created her own AI chatbot character named Tamika. Other celebrities with AI personalities on some Meta platforms include Snoop Dogg, Tom Brady, Kendall Jenner and Dwyane Wade.

Also Read: Highest paid athlete from each sport in 2022 according to Forbes

6. Aryna Sabalenka (Tennis) | $14.7 million

Aryna Sabalenka had a dominant 2023 as the only women to reach the semifinals of all four Grand Slam events, including an Australian Open win and US Open runner-up finish. In September, she became the 29th women to ever hold the No. 1 ranking. She also received the International Tennis Federation's World Champion Award. 

Sabalenka has an estimated net worth of $14.7 million. She recently collaborated with Maestro Dobel Tequila and Leaf Trading Cards. Beyond tennis, Sabalenka invested in wellness brand Beekeeper's Naturals and Olipop soda. She was also featured in Netflix's tennis docuseries Break Point.

7. Jessica Pegula (Tennis) | $12.5 million

Jessica Pegula has yet to make it past the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam event but finished the year ranked fifth in the world thanks to wins in 77% of her matches and two tournament titles. She was named to the esteemed 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Pegula's stellar year on the court was her victory at the Montreal singles tournament, marking the biggest title of her career. In addition, she reached the championship match at the WTA Finals in November.

Pegula has an estimated net worth of $12.5 million. Off the court, Pegula continues to expand her brand presence by securing partnerships with brands such as Dyson headphones, De Bethune watches, and Gorjana jewelry.

8. Venus Williams (Tennis) | $12.2 million

Venus Williams' competitive appearances have become infrequent. She participated in just seven tournaments and played 10 matches last year but her influence as a marketing powerhouse remains. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion has recently expanded her brand portfolio through strategic partnerships with Dove and Nestlé's Purina PetCare. Simultaneously, she introduced a jewellery line in collaboration with Reinstein Ross and made a strategic investment in the Los Angeles Golf Club, a team set to compete in the upcoming TGL league developed by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's TMRW Sports.

Beyond sports and lifestyle, Williams is extending her impact as an executive producer on "Behind the Racquet".

Also Read: Grand Slam Records: Most Grand Slam singles matches wins (men and women)

9. Elena Rybakina (Tennis) | $9.5 million

Elena Rybakina backed up her 2022 Wimbledon win with a pair of WTA 1000 tournament wins this year at Indian Wells and Rome, as well as a runner-up finish at the Australian Open. Building on this success, she had an outstanding 2023 season, securing victories in two WTA 1000 tournaments and concluding the year at an impressive No. 4 in the singles rankings.

Throughout her ascent, the 24-year-old player has strategically expanded her brand associations, forging partnerships with notable entities such as Red Bull and Yonex.

10. Leylah Fernandez (Tennis) | $8.8 million

Similar to Emma Raducanu, Leylah Fernandez continues to reap the rewards of her notable run to the 2021 US Open final. She maintains partnerships with more than 10 endorsement partners like Lululemon, Morgan Stanley, and Google Pixel phones. However, akin to Raducanu, Fernandez has encountered challenges in meeting the expectations set by her early success on the court.

11. Nelly Korda (Golf) | $8.2 million

Nelly Korda failed to reach the winner's circle in 2023, but her sponsor portfolio was transformed in a boost her off-course earnings. The 2021 Women's PGA Championship winner added lucrative new deals with Nike and TaylorMade, replacing J Lindeberg and Titleist to start the year, as well as another pair of global brands, Delta Airlines and Goldman Sachs.

11. Megan Rapinoe (Football) | $8.2 million

Megan Rapinoe did not get the storybook ending to her career as she was injured early in the NWSL Championship game, and her OL Reign fell to Gotham FC. Retirement will free up time for Rapinoe, who is a sought-after corporate speaker and last year launched a production company, A Touch More, along with her partner, WNBA legend Sue Bird.

13. Candace Parker (Basketball) | $8.1 million

Candace Parker captured the 2021 WNBA championship with the Chicago Sky and won another title (while injured) with the Las Vegas Aces in 2023. But with league salaries capped at around $200,000, she makes nearly all of her money from endorsements. Her brand partners include Adidas, CarMax and Gatorade and her annual off-the-court pay is more than double her total playing salary across her 15 years in the WNBA.

Candace was the first woman to appear on the cover of an "NBA 2K" video game and was among the star athletes to invest in trading-card exchange Alt in a funding round announced in November 2021. She also has a lucrative contract as an NBA analyst for Turner Sports.

14. Alex Morgan (Football) | $7.8 million

The US Women's National Team flamed out early at the 2023 World Cup, but Alex Morgan remains the sport's most popular choice for marketers. She has endorsement deals with Nike, Calvin Klein, Molecule, Hublot, Bodyarmor and Michelob Ultra. In 2021, she founded a female-focused media platform, Togethxr, with fellow star athletes Sue Bird, Chloe Kim and Simone Manuel. This year, she launched her own foundation. Her latest is an investment in Los Angeles Golf Club, a franchise in the Monday night golf league TGL set to launch in 2025.

15. Qinwen Zheng (Tennis) | $7.2 million

Qinwen Zheng won the WTA's Most Improved Player Award in 2023, an impressive follow-up to her 2022 Newcomer of the Year Award. She won singles titles in Palermo and Zhengzhou in 2023 and reached the US Open quarterfinals. Some in the sport wonder if she could be a marketing star along the lines of her countrywoman Li Na, who finished no lower than third in the female athletes earnings ranking from 2012 to 2014.

16. Simone Biles (Gymnastics) | $7.1 million

Simone Biles returned to competition in 2023 and was as dominant as ever. She clinched four gold medals at the World Championships, extending her record to 30 total career medals at the event, including 23 golds. She led the US to a record-breaking seventh consecutive world team title. In 2021, Biles left Nike to join Athleta, and this year, the brand released their third Athleta Girl Collection with Biles, which is entitled "Because I Can."

16. PV Sindhu (Badminton) | $7.1 million

India's PV Sindhu has made it into the list of top highest-paid female athletes by Forbes where she finished at the 16th spot alongside gymnast Simone Biles with her $7.1 million earnings. She is her country's sole representative on the list. Sindhu earned around seven million USD in off-field partnerships, having secured deals with Centuary Mattress and American Pistachio Growers in the past year.

Sindhu is already among India's most marketable athletes, with her sponsors ranging from Asian Paints to Bank of Baroda. Compared to her off-field marketing prowess, Sindhu earned just 0.1 million USD in on-field prize money, underlining her barren year and Badminton's financial disparity to other, more global sports. 

Also Read: PV Sindhu announces legendary Prakash Padukone as her mentor in quest of Olympic gold

18. Ons Jabeur (Tennis) | $5.7 million

Ons Jabeur reached her second straight Wimbledon final in 2023 and finished the season ranked sixth in the world. The Tunisian-born tennis ace was the first African and Arab woman to contest a major singles final. She has endorsements with Lotto, Wilson and Laval, and will collect an appearance fee in Saudi Arabia at the end of December.

19. Brooke Henderson (Golf) | $5.4 million

Henderson, a winner of two major golf championships, is arguably the most prominent female athlete in Canada. In January, she followed in the footsteps of Nelly Korda and transitioned to using TaylorMade equipment.

20. Markéta Vondroušová (Tennis) | $5.2 million

Markéta Vondroušová close the list of the top 20 highest-paid female athletes. At the time, Vondroušová, who was ranked 42nd, made history by becoming the first unseeded woman to clinch the Wimbledon singles title in July. It was an unexpected victory for her, as evidenced by her last-minute arrangement for a cat sitter.

Following her triumphant performance at the tournament, the 24-year-old tennis star from the Czech Republic secured a new clothing sponsorship deal with J.Lindeberg. She ended the year on a high note, ranking seventh in the women's singles rankings.

India's Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto defeated People's Republic of China's Gao Jia Xuan and Wu Meng Ying in straight games to enter the semi-finals of the German Open 2025 badminton tournament on Friday.

Paris Olympics 2024 star Tanisha Crasto and her mixed doubles partner Dhruv Kapila produced a brilliant performance to defeat the Chinese pair 21-14, 21-17 in just 30 minutes.

Also Read: India’s Legacy in Badminton: From Prakash Padukone to the New Generation of Champions

Kapil-Crasto only Indian left in the tournament 

Kapila and Crasto have kept India's hopes alive at the German Open 2025, all eyes will be on their semi-final clash as they aim to make the final.

They will now take on Indonesia's Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto and Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja in the semi-finals.

Indian pair took the first game

Kapila and Crasto made a great start and took an 11-2 lead in the opening game. 

Although Gao and Wu made a brief comeback to reduce the lead to 13-10, the Indian pair quickly established their dominance to take the first game.

The second game proved to be a tough match, with the Chinese pair putting up strong resistance. 

However, Kapila and Crasto held their nerve to win and book a place in the semi-finals.

Unnati Hooda lost

Meanwhile, in the men's singles, India's Tharun Mannepalli, ranked 59th in the world, crashed out of the German Open 2025 tournament after losing a tough match 16-21, 21-17, 21-8 to third seed Toma Popov of France.

In the women's singles category, world number 64 Unnati Hooda suffered defeat after a marathon battle against 41st ranked Riko Gunji of Japan. 

Hooda won the first game 21-15 but lost match points in the next two games and eventually lost 15-21, 25-23, 24-22.

India's Rakshitha Sree Ramraj and Tasnim Mir also bowed out after losing in the women's singles category. 

Ramraj lost 12-21, 12-21 against fourth seed Mia Blichfeldt of Denmark, while Mir retired against Thuy Linh Nguyen of Vietnam.

Mir was trailing 19-21, 21-12, 0-7 before losing the match.

Badminton, in recent years, has seen an unprecedented rise in popularity in India, primarily sparked by the emergence of global superstars like PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, Satwiksairaj Renkireddy and others.

But India’s connection with the game of badminton goes back a lot further, even to the ancient times.

In fact, India played a major role in badminton emerging as a sport of global renown.

Here, we take a look at India's legacy in badminton and how the sub-continent shaped the sport as we know it today.

Indian Badminton | Historical Overview 

The exact origins of badminton, till date, remain obscure but there have been references of games involving shuttlecocks and rackets in historic records of ancient India, China and Greece.

The mentions dated back almost 2000 years.

In medieval Europe, a children’s game called battledore and shuttlecock, in which players used a paddle (battledore) to keep a small-feathered shuttlecock in the air as long as possible, was also popular.

Jeu de Volant was another similar game played by European aristocrats in the 17th century.

The transformation of the past-time racket sport to becoming a globally-recognised sporting discipline, however, started from India.

British army officers got introduced to the indigenous version of the game, played for centuries, while stationed in India around the 1860s.

They made their own adaptations to the sport, primarily adding the net and called it Poona or Poonah, after the town (Pune) the garrison was based in.

The first informal set of badminton rules for the game were formed in India by the British colonists in 1867.

Interestingly, ball badminton – another variation of the game involving woollen balls instead of shuttlecocks - was popular in southern parts of India.

The British soldiers in India took inspiration from that as well and used balls rather than shuttlecocks while playing the game in windy or wet conditions.

Soldiers returning from India took the game back to England and soon enough, it caught the attention of the erstwhile Duke of Beaufort.

In 1873, the Duke introduced the game to his guests at a lawn-party held at his estate in Gloucestershire.

The Duke called it ‘the Badminton game’ after the name of his estate – the Badminton House.

The name stuck, and thus sport became badminton.

BAI established in 1899

Badminton’s popularity surged rapidly and it progressed from being a recreational garden activity to becoming a game popular at clubs.

The Bath Badminton Club, the first dedicated badminton club, was formed in 1877 and ten years later, the club rewrote the informal rules coined in India.

The Bath Badminton Club rules established the framework for modern-day badminton.

The Badminton Association of India (BAI) was established in 1899, six years after the Badminton Association of England (BAE).

It is one of the oldest badminton governing bodies in the world.

IBF established in 1934

The International Badminton Federation (IBF) was established in 1934 as the world governing body for the sport.

It was later renamed to Badminton World Federation (BWF). India joined the group in 1936.

Badminton became a part of the Summer Olympics at the Barcelona 1992 Games with men’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s singles and women’s doubles events added to the roster.

In 1996, mixed doubles was added to the list.

First male shuttlers to represent India at Olympics

Deepankar Bhattacharya and U Vimal Kumar were the first male shuttlers to represent India at the Olympic Games in Barcelona 1992.

Madhumita Bisht was India’s sole women representative at the event.

Badminton in India also latched on to the trend of franchisee-based sporting leagues with the Premier Badminton League (PBL), which started in 2016.

India’s Legacy in Badminton | Iconic players over the years

Every sport in India has its own set of heroes and badminton is no different. These shuttlers were key in putting their country on the global badminton map.

Prakash Padukone

Prakash Padukone was probably the first superstar in the history of badminton in India.

Padukone was the first Indian to win the prestigious All England Open Badminton Championships in 1980 and reach No. 1 in the men’s badminton world rankings.

He was also India’s first Commonwealth Games gold medallist in badminton, winning the men’s singles event in 1978.

The ace shuttler also holds several other accolades, including a bronze at the 1983 World Badminton Championships and a gold in the 1981 World Cup in Singapore.

Pullela Gopichand

Mentored by Prakash Padukone, Pullela Gopichand took over his teacher’s mantle in the 90s and early 2000s.

Gopichand won the All England in 2001 and etched his name in Indian history of badminton. 

Like Prakash Padukone did for him, Pullela Gopichand, too, dedicated himself to moulding the next generation of Indian badminton’s torch bearers.

Saina Nehwal

One of Pullela Gopichand’s star pupils, Saina Nehwal is India’s first-ever Olympic medallist in badminton.

Nehwal won the bronze in the London 2012 Olympics women’s singles event.

She is also the only Indian woman to be ranked No. 1 in the world, reaching the summit in 2015.

PV Sindhu

Five years younger than Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu has taken world badminton by storm and went a step higher on the podium after Nehwal’s bronze with a women’s singles silver at the Rio 2016 Games.

In 2019, she became the first Indian-ever to win a gold medal at the BWF World Championships.

PV Sindhu also became the first Indian woman to win two medals at the Olympics after she bagged a bronze at Tokyo 2020.

PV Sindhu has been extremely consistent at the World Championships and has also won two silvers and two bronze medals in the tournament in addition to the landmark gold.

Like Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu has also been mentored by Pullela Gopichand.

Kidambi Srikanth

Kidambi Srikanth has been the top men’s badminton player in India since Pullela Gopichand retired.

Srikanth has six BWF Superseries and three BWF Grand Prix victories under his belt and was ranked the No. 1 men’s player in the world in 2018.

He’s the only Indian men’s shuttler since Prakash Padukone to be ranked top.

In 2021, Kidambi Srikanth became the first Indian man to win a silver medal at the badminton world championships.

He was also a member of the historic Thomas Cup-winning Indian badminton team in 2022.

Lakshya Sen

Lakshya Sen’s rapid rise in the world of badminton has been nothing short of meteoric.

From being a kid who was competing at the junior level not too long ago, Lakshya Sen has now beaten the legends of the sport and won medals at the highest level, emerging as the poster boy of Indian badminton.

In 2021, Lakshya Sen started reaching the business end of major tournaments consistently and challenged the biggest names on the circuit.

Lakshya became the fourth Indian man to win a badminton world championship medal (bronze).

He also won gold medal at Commonwealth Games 2022 and silver at All England Open.

At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Lakshya Sen made history by becoming the first Indian to make the men's singles semi-finals at the Summer Games.

Lakshya would eventually miss out on a medal in Paris after losing to Lee Zii Jia in the bronze playoff.

Apart from these, Chirag Shetty-Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Parupalli Kashyap, HS Prannoy are some other notable names.

Ironic as it sounds, the performance dynamics of Indian badminton have changed dramatically in the past decade, but the quantum of joy gained by the lovers of the sport in the country is more or less the same. 

From the days of meagre Indian presence in singles and almost making a token appearance in doubles, the sport has moved to the other end of the scale.

India has given the world plenty of badminton superstar in the last decade and continues to do so.

While perennial stars like PV Sindhu, Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy continue to shine, the younger generation has also begun to make waves on the global stage.

Let's take a look at India’s Next Badminton Superstar who can potentially carry the torch forward.

India’s Next Badminton Superstar

Anupama Upadhyaya 

At just 19, Anupama Upadhyaya has been making waves on the international circuit. 

She clinched titles at the Polish Open and Kazakhstan International Challenge last year and stunned the then-world No. 15 Beiwen Zhang at the China Masters. 

The young shuttler is a former Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Junior Number 1 player. 

She also clinched the Indian National Badminton Champion in 2023 in women’s singles, and represented India at the Asian Games 2023. 

She is ranked career best 42 among the senior players globally, according to BWF. 

Anupama’s eyes are now focussed on to play at the 2026 Commonwealth Games and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Rakshitha Ramraj

Rakshitha Ramraj is a promising singles player from Tamil Nadu who has been climbing the international ranking chart quite steadily in the last one year. 

The 17-year-old, who stands out with her height and built on the domestic circuit, clinched her first international title by winning the Slovenia Open and then added the CM Trophy International Challenge in Raipur gold medal to that tally.

In 2024, she also reached the finals of the Telangana International Challenge in Hyderabad and St Denis Reunion Open and went on to reach the quarter-finals of the senior nationals in Bengaluru.

Priyanshu Rajawat

Priyanshu Rajawat is an Indian badminton player. He was part of the Indian team that won the 2022 Thomas Cup.

The Indian shuttler has the highest World rank of 34. 

The teenage sensation has won the 2019 Bahrain International, 2021 Ukraine International, 2021 India International Challenge and 2022 India Chattisgarh International Challenge.

Additionally, the shuttler was runner-up in the 2022 Bangladesh International.

Anmol Kharb

Haryana shuttler Anmol Kharb is already justifying her name on the Indian badminton landscape.

Anmol Kharb became the women’s singles national badminton champion at the age of 16 and a year later, proved to be the driving force behind the Indian women’s team bagging a historic gold medal at the 2024 Badminton Asia Team Championships in Malaysia.

In 2019, at the age of 12, Anmol won the U-17 All India Ranking title in Hyderabad, her first national-level title. 

She also made the semi-finals of the Senior All India Ranking tournament in Visakhapatnam that year and got picked for the government of India’s Khelo India scheme, which provides assistance to budding athletes.

Anmol moved up a gear in 2020, winning the under-17 national titles in both singles and doubles, for which she partnered up with Vennala K.

It was in 2023 that Anmol Kharb shot into the limelight. At the senior nationals held in Guwahati, the youngster outplayed Tanvi Khanna to pocket her first senior national title, at age 16.

In the semis, the Saina Nehwal fan accounted for her senior compatriot Ashmita Chaliha, a regular on the BWF World Tour.

Malvika Bansod

In her early 20s, Malvika Bansod made headlines after winning the silver medal at the 2022 Syed Modi International tournament. That, too, in her debut season on the BWF World Tour.

In 2019, Malvika Bansod won her debut senior tournament - Maldives International – and followed it with another top finish at Annapurna Nepal International Series.

In the next two years, the youngster steadily climbed up the ladder with wins at the Uganda International and Lithuanian International.

Malvika was picked in India’s squad for the Sudirman Cup and Uber Cup in 2021.

Malvika, though, broke the drought in February 2024 after she claimed the women's singles title at the Azerbaijan International badminton tournament.

On the way, she defeated compatriots Anupama Upadhyaya in the semis and Tanya Hemanth in the final.

In September, she defeated an Olympic bronze medallist for the second time in her career.

At the China Open, she stunned Paris 2024 bronze winner Gregoria Mariska Tunjung of Indonesia in a hard-fought straight games.

Two months later she made the final of the Hylo Open 2024 in Germany but lost to Denmark's Mia Blichfeldt.

However, reaching the summit clash made Malvika only the third Indian women's singles player after Saina and Sindhu to reach the final of a BWF World Tour tournament outside India.

Over the years, Malvika Bansod has proven she possesses all the tools to scale greater heights in the future for India.

Artificial Intelligence has been improving the sports we watch and analyze for nearly the past 20 years, but the latest generation of ultra-modern AI tools is revolutionizing every aspect of sports, from improving player and team performances to ensuring safety along with fan engagement and the experiences.

AI can process and store large amounts of data, which allows us to gain insights that we couldn't see before. This capability is at the center of the revolution. For the players, this brings improved strategies, varied training methods, and a significantly lower risk of injury.

The fans enjoy a whole new level of engagement in the game, thanks to Al-powered platforms providing content tailored to them, such as virtual reality experiences and more.

The massive impact of AI in the Sports Industry

Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing the Sports Industry rapidly by offering solutions to common problems such as individual performance, tactical requirements, injuries and recoveries, variations in training, etc.

The capacity of AI and GenAI tools to analyze complex data and provide instant insights is ushering in a new era of athletic performance and fan engagement as well.

From predictive analytics that improve player safety and performance to AI-powered viewing experiences for fans, the influence of artificial intelligence is setting the bar higher across the industry.

1. Player and team performance

GenAI can analyze team and player behavior to reach conclusions that would contribute to improved training and coaching. For example, they can monitor and analyze the movements of players with computer vision.

In this way, they can assess whether an athlete is moving wrongly or could be injured. Machine learning algorithms can watch game videos to identify patterns of the opposing team. Sports coaches can be made to develop wiser game plans and strategies by artificial intelligence.

Some techniques, including motion tracking and motion analysis, can capture changes in the posture, movement, or technique of a player that indicte fatigue or poor motor control.

According to a study by Grand View Research, the sports analytics market size was valued at $1.9 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach $5.2 billion by 2028, showcasing the rapid growth and demand for advanced analytics tools in sports.

The following two tools are widely applicable to player and team analysis:

• SportVU: This system tracks detailed player and ball motion in a game with computer vision and machine learning. It can analyze shot mechanics, accelerations and decelerations, speed, and distance.
• KINEXON: This system tracks positional and motion data in real-time by equipping players with sensors.

2. Injury Prediction and Prevention

Injuries occur regularly in professional sports. Identifying and preventing injuries before they even occur is likely one of the most thrilling applications of AI.

Teams can utilize AI algorithms to monitor an individual's motion as they move their joints and strain their muscles. It can search for patterns or instabilities that signify an injury before the symptoms themselves appear.

AI can recognize a slight deviation in the amount of strain a soccer player puts on their knee joint and warn the coaches or medical staff. Way before the injury became acute enough to cause the player to miss games, the team could either give them rest or do exercises to help them recover.

A report by MarketsandMarkets estimates that the global sports medicine market, which incorporates AI-driven health monitoring solutions, is projected to reach $9.3 billion by 2026, underlining the significant role of AI in athlete well-being.

The following two tools could be used in the AI-powered prediction and prevention of injuries:

• Sparta Science: It uses computer vision and motion sensing in analyzing movement patterns of an athlete. Based on motion data, biomechanical deficiencies, and especially risks of increased injury, machine learning models are able to identify those. 
• Zone 7: It measures injury risk using factors such as workload, degree of fatigue, and others through artificial intelligence and research in sports science. Their methods take age, position, body composition, and medical history into account. 

3. Training Through AI-Powered Analytics and Wearables

Smartwatches and fitness trackers are examples of wearable technology that have become essential for tracking many of the parameters mentioned earlier.

Wearable GPS devices that can track athletes' speed and location, overall distance traveled, and movement patterns are available to provide relevant information.

Wearable heart rate monitors use optical sensors to measure blood flow in real-time, tracking the heart rate. This is an important aspect of monitoring heart health, fitness levels, and recovery. It also helps in tracking blood oxygen levels, which is another important component of modern-day fitness trackers. They use optical sensors to track the oxygen saturation level of blood.

Since the 2010s, Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), such as GPS tracking vests, have been commonly used in professional sports. Such vests are offered with discrete and effective GPS tracking and sensors located on the back and shoulders; they are typically worn as tank tops.

In football and rugby, the vest is mainly utilized to track the location and movement of a player and, thereby, report strengths and weaknesses.

4. Sports Commentary and Reporting

Sports commentary and reporting can automatically be generated from match events and live data by employing natural language processing (NLP) methods like GPT-3. Artificially intelligent commentary not only comments on a strategy but also summarizes the critical events of match play. 

Similarly, GenAI can create such highlights, summaries, and post-match data reportage for viewing audiences as well.

NLP methods can make the commentary more dramatic and interesting by taking into account the game statistics and situations in real-time data. With the use of generated personalities and tones, it is possible to accommodate various fan interests in the coverage.

Automated GenAI reporting enhances sports coverage and commentary without losing interesting and captivating stories.

5. Sports Officiating

The use of AI in sports officiating is not without controversy, including traditional backlash and concerns regarding technology's influence on the game. Yet, the improvements it introduces, such as real-time analysis and decision support, are dramatically enhancing the accuracy and fairness of officiating.

Its capabilities to review plays from multiple angles and analyze them in seconds are proving invaluable in high-level games where every call matters.

Despite initial doubts, the use of AI in officiating is increasingly being accepted, with many seeing its potential to eliminate human error and ensure a level playing field.

As the technology improves and its uses extend, its role in assisting fair play and accuracy in sports is poised to increase, ushering in a new era in the use of technology and sportsmanship.

6. Player Scouting

Team owners are using artificial intelligence to review the performance of the players. To determine the most skilled people to invest in, they use data analysis using artificial intelligence. It takes millions of dollars to find talent in the sports world.

So, team owners would like to ensure that scouting one player is the best decision. Artificial intelligence is used widely in scouting players for any sport, be it cricket, football, or basketball.

AI-powered Change in Fan Engagement and Experiences

1. Personalized Fan Engagement

To provide customised fan experiences, GenAI algorithms can model the preferences and behaviours of audiences. Sports teams and broadcasters can use these insights to optimize engagement across media channels.

For example, social media platforms can deliver tailored video highlights, personalized promotions, and AI-recommended content to resonate with each fan.

The NBA revealed 'NB-AI', allowing fans to activate "movie mode" and watch live games animated like popular films, such as Spider-Man

pic.twitter.com/zb2IYT2YBX

— Dexerto (@Dexerto) February 16, 2024

Based on their past interactions and activities, the Generative AI identifies what content types, sports stats, and topics each fan finds most appealing. It creates and sends personalized content for each person. This level of customization, enabled by GenAI in sports, helps sports organizations connect more deeply with their audiences.

2. Viewing Experiences

GenAI can process live video to generate augmented reality (AR) overlays and graphics that enhance broadcasts or live streams.

For example, shot trajectories, real-time player stats, and situational analysis can be visualized and overlaid onto the gameplay footage. For virtual reality (VR), GenAI can create real-world simulated environments for an immersive in-game perspective.

The key innovation is using Generative AI to dynamically generate and adapt AR/VR overlays and environments on the fly, customized to each moment. As the narrative and action of the game shift, the GenAI-powered augmented experiences shift with them, elevating viewing to multidimensional engagement. 

A survey conducted by PwC found that 65% of sports fans are interested in using AR or virtual reality (VR) devices to watch sports, indicating a growing appetite for immersive experiences enabled by AI-driven technologies.

Conclusion

AI collaboration with sports is making the place safer as well as fairer. Predictive modeling and algorithms in AI are becoming a must for injury prevention. AI guarantees that more accuracy and fairness can be introduced in the outcome of a game by enhancing officiating. Both the aspects of performance and integrity are vital components in ensuring the prosperity and popularity of sports continue.

The impact of AI reaches sports journalism, advertising, and the creation of next-gen sports equipment, beyond the field or court. These innovations create new revenue streams and provide more exciting ways for fans to engage with their beloved sports and teams.

In this sense, artificial intelligence in the sports field could be said to be, by itself, a change not only for the athletes or for the coaches but for the sports system in general. With AI, the sports of the future could easily be foreseen because technology would harmoniously mix with manly athleticism at its highest levels.

Women’s cricket is constantly growing, and matches are continuously being played on a bigger stage with larger crowds. 

There are female cricketers who paved the way for others and continuously tried to grow the game even when only the smallest spotlight was on the sport, and such players need commending for their efforts. 

So, let's dig into the incredible careers and achievements of some of the best female cricketers who are making history.

Top Female Cricketers

10. Chamari Athapaththu | Sri Lanka 

Chamari Athapaththu is the greatest cricketer from Sri Lanka to have played women’s cricket. 

Debuting as a 19-year-old, she was soon noted for her aggressive batting. 

She became captain of the Sri Lanka national team and has helped a not-so-strong team challenge much more formidable opponents on the global stage.

In 2024 she led Sri Lanka to an underdog win in the Asia Cup women’s T20I series and finished as Player of the Tournament. 

Chamari has also led Sri Lanka to its first-ever series wins over South Africa and England in T20Is and over New Zealand in ODIs. 

She holds the record for most runs for Sri Lanka in women’s ODIs and T20Is, and her nine women’s ODI hundreds are a Sri Lankan record as well. 

In April 2024, her unbeaten 195 helped Sri Lanka complete the first-ever successful chase of more than 300 runs in a women’s ODI.

In 2023, a seating zone at the Sydney Cricket Ground was named “Chamari Bay” in her honor.

9. Laura Wolvaardt | South Africa 

Laura Wolvaardt made her debut for South Africa as an opening batter at age 16, and by age 25 she became her country’s record holder for most ODI runs, most ODI hundreds, and most T20I runs in women’s cricket. 

Along the way, she became the youngest centurion, male or female, for South Africa in international cricket. 

In 2024 Wolvaardt became only the third woman to score a hundred in all three formats of international cricket, achieving the feat in a Test vs. India. 

After that, she was also named captain of the South Africa T20I team for the World Cup and captained her side to the final where it lost to New Zealand.

8. Heather Knight | England 

Heather Knight took over as captain of the England women’s team in 2016 when Charlotte Edwards retired and led it to victory in the 2017 women’s ODI World Cup at home. 

She was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year that year and was also awarded an OBE. 

As of 2024 Knight has more than 5,000 runs in international cricket.

7. Amelia Kerr | New Zealand 

Amelia Kerr is a third-generation New Zealand cricketer who emerged on the international scene with a bang. 

At age 16, she was the youngest to earn a New Zealand Cricket contract and to debut for the national team in 2017. 

The next year, at 17, she became the youngest cricketer, man or woman, to score an international double century. During that innings, she beat the women’s ODI record held by Belinda Clark on her way to an unbeaten 232.

Not content with scoring a double, she also took 5 wickets while bowling in one of the all-time great all-round displays. 

Kerr has since been a consistent performer for New Zealand and in 2024 was named both the Player of the Final and the Player of the Tournament as New Zealand won the women’s T20I World Cup.

6. Hayley Matthews | West Indies 

Hayley Matthews is a cricketer from Barbados who plays for the West Indies women’s cricket team and became the team’s captain in 2022. 

Matthews is an all-rounder who has more than 4,000 runs in women’s ODIs and T20Is, as well as more than 100 wickets in each format. 

A natural athlete, she played both track and field and cricket in her youth, before focusing on cricket and making her debut for the West Indies. 

Her crowning glory was a Player of the Match performance in the women’s T20I World Cup final in 2016, as the West Indies beat favorites Australia to win its first title.

Matthews is a highly sought after player in franchise leagues across the world and was Player of the Tournament in the first edition of the WPL in 2023, when she helped her team, Mumbai Indians, win the title.

5. Nat Sciver-Brunt | England 

Nat Sciver-Brunt plays international cricket for England. She has scored more than 6,000 international runs with 10 centuries and taken more than 150 wickets as of 2024. 

She is credited with inventing the “Natmeg” shot, in which she hits the ball between her legs for runs. 

In 2013 she became the first England bowler to take a women’s T20I hat trick.

Nat Sciver was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2018 and won the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year award in both 2022 and 2023. 

She is married to fellow England cricketer Katherine Sciver-Brunt.

4. Ellyse Perry | Australia 

Ellyse Perry is one of the greatest all-rounders in the history of cricket based on sheer numbers: a Test batting average of over 60, a Test bowling average below 22, and women’s ODI batting and bowling averages of 50 and 25, respectively. 

In 2007, at age 16, Perry became the youngest Australian to play international cricket. 

She is also the first Australian to have appeared in cricket as well as football (soccer) World Cups, playing the latter in 2011 in Germany. 

She has won the ICC Women’s Player of the Year award twice, in 2017 and 2019. 

In 2020 she was named the ICC Female Player of the Decade. Perry is one of the most famous female cricketers in the world.

3. Harmanpreet Kaur | India

Harmanpreet Kaur debuted for India in 2009 but is best remembered for an unbeaten innings of 171, which helped underdogs India beat Australia to reach the final of the 2017 women’s ODI World Cup.

The knock made her a household name in India and helped take the popularity of the women’s game to the next level. 

She has also scored India’s fastest T20I hundred off only 49 balls. Harmanpreet has more than 7,000 international runs and more than 70 wickets. 

In 2016 she became the first Indian cricketer to sign a contract with the Australian Big Bash League, playing for Sydney Thunder. In 2017 she was awarded the Arjuna Award. 

Picked as captain by the Mumbai Indians in the WPL, she led them to victory in the inaugural season of the WPL in 2023. She was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year the same year.

Harmanpreet has also captained the Indian women’s national team across formats since 2016.

2. Alyssa Healy | Australia 

Alyssa Healy is a wicketkeeper batsman who captains the Australian women’s national team.

She had a middling batting record until 2017 but has since remodeled herself into a formidable opening batter. 

In 2018 she was Player of the Tournament in Australia’s women’s T20I World Cup win; she was named Women’s T20I Player of the Year that year. 

Healy was also Player of the Match when Australia successfully defended its T20I title in the 2020 final. 

She continued her big-match streak with a Player of the Match performance in the 2022 women’s ODI World Cup final, scoring a mammoth 170 runs and earning the Player of the Series award. 

In 2020 Healy surpassed MS Dhoni’s record for the most wicketkeeping dismissals in T20Is by any keeper, male or female. 

1. Smriti Mandhana | India

Currently regarded as one of the best batters in women’s cricket, Smriti Mandhana holds several coveted records to her name.

She has scored more than 7,000 international runs with more than 10 hundreds across formats. 

Her nine ODI hundreds are an Indian women’s record. 

She captained her state team Maharashtra in 2013 at just age 16 and debuted for India the same year. 

Mandhana was the costliest buy in the inaugural WPL auction and was picked by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as captain for 3.4 crore rupees. 

She led RCB to victory in the second edition of the WPL in 2024. 

Mandhana won the ICC Women’s ODI Player of the Year award in 2018. She has also won the Rachael Hayhoe Flint Award for Best Women’s Cricketer of the Year twice, in 2018 and 2021.