Novak Djokovic has constructed a resume in tennis that stands above all others within the fashionable period with a trio of on-court information: 24 Grand Slam titles, 428 weeks ranked No. 1 and $182.5 million in profession prize cash.
However one crown Djokovic has relinquished: The world’s highest-paid tennis participant.
Carlos Alcaraz earned an estimated $45 million over the past 12 months, $6 million greater than Djokovic ($38.7 million), flipping their ranks amongst 2023’s top-earning athletes. The 2 tennis aces are a step above different stars within the sport for revenue from prize cash, endorsements and look charges. Rounding out the highest 5 are Jannik Sinner ($25.7 million), Coco Gauff ($25.6 million) and Iga Świątek ($25.2 million).
Sinner, Djokovic and Alcaraz at the moment sit atop the ATP rankings, in addition to tennis’ monetary hierarchy in reverse order.
In June, Alcaraz received his third Grand Slam on the French Open, only one month after his twenty first birthday, and have become the youngest man to gather main championships on three surfaces, together with his 2022 U.S. Open and 2023 Wimbledon titles. The $2.6 million payday pushed him to ninth on the all-time profession prize cash listing at $31.5 million—he earned $15 million over the past yr, together with $4.4 million from the ATP bonus pool
Alcaraz’s off-the-court recreation has been even stronger, as he’s been tabbed as tennis’ next-generation star to fill the eventual void of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic. Alcaraz signed offers with LVMH, Rolex, BMW, Babolat, Calvin Klein and ISDIN sunscreen. The groundswell of curiosity in Alcaraz has carried over into his look charges the place he can command seven figures for a match or exhibition, together with his Netflix faceoff in March in opposition to Nadal.
His most profitable sponsor is Nike, which redid its take care of Alcaraz in 2023 at an enormous improve. Tennis attire sponsorships are layered with bonuses for match performances and year-end rankings, and Alcaraz will earn greater than $10 million yearly from Nike, primarily based on his present outcomes.
Djokovic has received 98 profession occasions, together with at the least 4 in 15 completely different years, however the 37-year-old Serb remains to be searching for his first win of 2024—he’s but to even make a last. He nonetheless earned $12.7 million in prize cash over the past 12 months, with $7 million of the tally from his wins on the ATP Finals and U.S. Open. Because the lone lively member of the Huge Three for a lot of the previous yr, Djokovic may command profitable look charges that add to his sponsor haul, headlined by Lacoste as one of many richest attire offers within the sport.
Gauff edged Świątek in 2023 to rank because the highest-paid feminine athlete, and the 20-year-old remains to be on prime seven months later with two new offers in her endorsement secure. She signed a multiyear pact with L’Oreal to pitch its pure hair care model Carol’s Daughter and added juice model Bare, the place she was named CSO, chief smoothie officer. The Bare deal consists of an fairness place, as Gauff appears to be like to take extra possession positions in her partnerships.
New Steadiness stays her most vital deal. In 2022, the corporate redid Gauff’s contract and made it one of many largest within the recreation with an extension that runs for greater than 5 years.
Świątek had the best prize cash in tennis—male or feminine—in the course of the first six months of 2024, an quantity that was boosted by her fourth French Open win in 5 years. But, she misplaced within the third spherical at Wimbledon, persevering with her struggles on the All England Membership the place she has only a single quarterfinal look. Nonetheless, the world’s top-ranked participant has constructed a deep endorsement roster with On, Tecnifibre, Oshee, Porsche, Visa, Infosys, Lego and Lancome.
Naomi Osaka ($16.5 million) and Nadal ($13.2 million) have performed restricted matches this previous yr, with Nadal hampered by accidents and Osaka returning to the WTA Tour in 2024 after giving beginning to her daughter Shai a yr in the past. The inactivity dented their Nike earnings, the place contracts are tied to rankings and match outcomes. Prize cash additionally took a success with a mixed $752,000 for the yr.
However the former Grand Slam champions retain profitable offers past their attire and racket contracts. Nadal nonetheless works with Kia, Santander, Telefonica, Infosys, Cantabria Labs, Louis Vuitton, Playtonic and Richard Mille. This yr, he turned an envoy for Saudi Arabia’s tennis federation. Osaka model companions embody Louis Vuitton, TAG Heuer, Panasonic, Beats, Crate & Barrel, Hyperice, Morinaga and Bobbie child formulation. She not too long ago joined ZICO Coconut Water as an investor and model ambassador.
Total, the ten highest-paid tennis gamers earned $241 million with 34% from prize cash and 66% from endorsements, bonuses and look charges. The earnings replicate these between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024, and the prize cash part consists of the ATP bonus pool. Sportico estimated off-court earnings by means of conversations with these acquainted with tennis endorsement offers. The figures are all earlier than taxes and any agent charges. Solely lively gamers have been thought of, knocking out retired legends Roger Federer and Serena Williams.
Like the game as an entire, it’s a world group with 9 completely different nations represented and solely Spain touchdown two gamers, Alcaraz and Nadal, within the prime 10. The gamers additionally skew younger with Djokovic the one one within the prime 5 older than 23. And in contrast to each different main professional sport, girls have close to equal illustration with 40% of the entries.