Women's Tennis Draws Endorsement Dollars

July 13 -- Don't hate them because they're beautiful.

With their good looks, hip outfits and off-the-court antics, women tennis stars have drawn heavy interest from audiences and endorsers alike.

Who Earns What

The audience for many of the women's matches at Wimbledon this year, including the finals, was higher compared to what many of the men's matches commanded. Venus Williams' recent $40 million endorsement contract with Reebok was the largest ever given to a female athlete. Both Anna Kournikova and Martina Hingis have graced the cover of GQ magazine.

The high profiles of these tennis divas lead many to believe that sex appeal has propelled these stars into the spotlight. But tennis officials and agents argue that it is a rare confluence of talent, looks and personality that is making these players a marketer's dream.

"I think they've done a good job of making sure that these women go beyond the sports page, and part of that is sex," says Jon Wertheim, who covers tennis for Sports Illustrated. His upcoming book, Venus Envy, profiles the women's tennis tour.

The Kournikova Conundrum

The case of Anna Kournikova is often cited as a classic example of this phenomenon. The Russian blonde, who has never made it to the finals of a Grand Slam tennis event, currently earns as much as the top-seeded Martina Hingis, according to industry sources.

But while both women currently earn around $15 million in total, the difference in what they make on the court is striking. Hingis has earned a little more than $1 million this year in tournament prize money alone, while 13th-ranked Kournikova has earned only $169,572 from matches so far this year, according to the Sanex Women's Tennis Association. She makes the rest from endorsements.

"I think it's embarrassing when far and away your most visible player has never won a [Grand Slam] tournament," says Wertheim.

A spokesman from sports marketing group Octagon, which represents both players, would not comment on their earnings, but bristled at the suggestion that Kournikova's looks alone are what is behind her endorsement success.