Tennis stars dominate list of most influential sportswomen

Tennis players Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Sabina Mirza and Naomi Osaka dominate the top 10 list of most influential women in sport. 

Renowned for their incredible sporting achievements, these influential women have also used their platforms to lead conversations around equal pay, mental health and open access to sport. 

New research has revealed the world's most influential sportswomen, based on their social media followings and wikipedia page views.  

It's undeniable that women in sport have achieved what many deem challenging, but not only are they phenomenal athletes, they also have great influence in the world they live in.  

Health and wellness brand, fourfive, has revealed the world's most influential sportswomen of 2022 who have the most social media followers on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok combined, alongside Wikipedia page views.   

The list reveals the sportswomen who have made outstanding contributions to their sport, as well as inspiring and empowering others through their contributions to the wider world. This list of trailblazers are paving the way for a better future for women in sport and beyond. 

 
The list reveals that tennis produces the most influential sportswomen, with the sport featuring four times in the top 10. Serena Williams claimed the top spot on the leaderboard with a total reach of 38.7 million people. 

Some of the tennis players named have supported causes outside of their sport, sparking important conversations in wider culture. Serena Williams is championing the fight for equal pay in tennis - and for all women in sport, while Naomi Osaka has bravely spoken out about her own mental health since winning the 2018 United States Open. Inspiring change and taking action for important women's issues, these sportswomen have solidified their place as inspirational women of note. 

The theme of impact outside of sport continues with other influential sportswomen in the top 10 include Alex Morgan, US footballer and advocate of equal pay and access for young athletes in sport. P. V. Sindhu, an Indian badminton player who has spoken about issues in sport such as clean and honest games and the 'Me Too' movement. 

The list of the world's top 10 influential sportswomen is a reflection of the hard work women have put into their sport and the issues they have fought hard to resolve. However, the social media follower count for the most influential sportswomen is still small compared to those of sportsmen: Cristiano Ronaldo is the most popular sportsman on social media, with a combined following of 652 million, compared to 34.4million for Ronda Rousey. 

So why is it that sportsmen are still gaining more traction across social media than the sportswomen listed? fourfive ambassador Rachael Burford, England Rugby Union Player and founder of the Girls Rugby Club shines a light on the ongoing need for women's contributions to the sporting world. 

Rachael thinks we can always do more, "I think we're so advanced now in recognising what's going on but we just need to keep shouting about all the great work that is being done by women, because it's not just the players achievements but also their global growth, the eyeballs on TV and the sponsorship that's coming in that encourage greater opportunities for sportswomen to have more influence." 

To read more about the top 10 most influential sportswomen from around the world and further comment on women's contributions in sport, visit the fourfive website. 

Photo from: Edwin  Martinez from The Bronx, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons