With the Australian Open kicking off and the world’s best making their way Down Under, the pursuit of centre-court supremacy is hitting fever pitch, but there’s a different battle waging off the court. From endorsements and apparel deals to career earnings and investments, the highest-paid tennis players in the world have a fair amount of cash to throw around. So, where do they all sit on the pay ladder? If you’re the jealous type, prepare to be gobsmacked by the figures you’re about to see, or perhaps it could be an inspiration to pursue the sport yourself- it’s never too late!
Table of contents
- Highest-Paid Tennis Players
- 1. Roger Federer – USD$84 Million
- 2. Naomi Osaka – US$55.2 Million
- 3. Serena Williams – US$35.5 Million
- 4. Novak Djokovic – US$33.4 Million
- 5. Kei Nishikori – US$26.6 Million
- 6. Rafael Nadal – USD$26.5 Million
- 7. Daniil Medvedev – USD$14.7 Million
- 8. Dominic Thiem – USD$10.9 Million
- 9. Stefanos Tsitsipas – USD$7.5 Million
- 10. Alexander Zverev – USD$5.5 Million
- Endorsements vs Earnings
- General FAQs
Highest-Paid Tennis Players
While Djokovich might be the biggest name in the sport right now and Naomi Osaka is on an extended break, there are a few things that remain consistent in the tennis ranks. Namely, the Fed-Express continues to dominate, on and more importantly, off the court. Here is a list of the highest-paid tennis players in the world, based on their earnings from the last calendar year, as reported by Sportico.
1. Roger Federer – USD$84 Million
Everyone has heard of Swiss tennis celebrity Federer, and by everyone, we mean everyone! Now in his 40s, the tennis champion has years to gain an impressive following and a world ranking to match. Much loved by his fellow countrymen ad the world alike, his former partnership with Nike was one of the biggest deals the tennis world has ever seen, but it was the recent UNIQLO deal that skyrocketed him to an astronomical earnings bracket. He still has impressive skills on the court, which is actually what matters, right?
World Ranking: 16
Nationality: Swiss
Age: 40 years
ATP Titles: 103
Major Titles: 20
Career Prize Money: USD$130 million
Off-Court Earnings: USD$84 million
Apparel Sponsor: UNIQLO, Credit Suisse, Mercedes-Benz, Rolex, Wilson.
Instagram Followers: 8.8 million
2. Naomi Osaka – US$55.2 Million
One of the newcomers in the world of the highest-paid tennis players, Naomi Osaka was ranked number one by the Women’s Tennis Association when she was just 22 years of age. She is also the first player from Japan, man or woman, to ever hold a number one title and is the highest-paid female tennis player. A breath of fresh air in the tennis world, everyone can’t wait to see what Naomi does next.
World Ranking: 4,796
Nationality: Japanese
Age: 24
ATP Titles: 7
Major Titles: 4
Career Prize Money: USD$20.1 million
Off-Court Earnings: USD$55.2 million
Apparel Sponsor: Nike, Workday, TAG Heuer, Louis Vuitton, Beats by Dre, Mastercard
Instagram Followers: 2.8 million
3. Serena Williams – US$35.5 Million
Serena Williams is a name that has been thrown around on and off the court for decades, and it’s no secret why- Serena is a force to be reckoned with, with a personality to match! The tennis superstar has been ranked number one on an impressive eight separate occasions between 2002 and 2017- a long time to be smashing those balls with such finesse!
World Ranking: 47
Nationality: American
Age: 40 years
ATP Titles: 23
Major Titles: 39
Career Prize Money: USD$94 million
Off-Court Earnings: USD$35.5 million
Apparel Sponsor: Nike, ilson, Gatorade, Delta Air Lines, Aston Martin, Pepsi, Beats by Dre, JP Morgan Chase, Audemars Piguet, Bumble, Upper Deck, IBM, Intel.
Instagram Followers: 14.1 million
4. Novak Djokovic – US$33.4 Million
With plenty of recent controversy surrounding this tennis star, Novak Djokovic may be controversial. Still, the currently ranked world number one remains one of the highest-paid tennis players right now. Despite his vaccination status, there’s no doubt that this man has some serious skill on the court. The Serbian national has an impressive catalogue of winnings and some enviable off-court portfolio as well- that’s if he hasn’t screwed it all up.
World Ranking: 1
Nationality: Serbian
Age: 34
ATP Titles: 86
Major Titles: 20
Career Prize Money: USD$153 million
Off-Court Earnings: USD$33.4 million
Apparel Sponsor: Lacoste, Head, NetJets, Seiko Watch Corporation, ASICS, Peugeot
Instagram Followers: 9.9 million
5. Kei Nishikori – US$26.6 Million
Another Japanese powerhouse to make the list, Kei Nishikori is one of the first male Japanese tennis players to make it to the big time. With a killer portfolio of wins under his belt, snagging some million-dollar endorsement deals was only a matter of time.
World Ranking: 46
Nationality: Japanese
Age: 32 years
ATP Titles: 12
Major Titles: 0
Career Prize Money: USD$24 million
Off-Court Earnings: USD$25 million
Apparel Sponsor: UNIQLO, Asahi, NTT, Japan Airlines, Lixil, Procter & Gamble, Nissin.
Instagram Followers: 538 k
Related: Wimbledon Prize Money Revealed: How Much the Highest-Earning Tennis Players Receive
6. Rafael Nadal – USD$26.5 Million
Another big name in the tennis world with a bank account to prove it, Nadal is one of the most famous highest-paid tennis players right now. From humble beginnings, Nadal’s talent was quickly noticed by those closest to him, which saw him begin his path to fame at the age of 12. Today, he continues to impress, both on and off the court, but we’re still trying to decide whether it’s because of his skill or good looks.
World Ranking: 6
Nationality: Spanish
Age: 35 years
ATP Titles: 89
Major Titles: 20
Career Prize Money: USD$124 million
Off-Court Earnings: USD$26 million
Apparel Sponsor: Babolat, Kia, Nike, Richard Mille
Instagram Followers: 12.7 million
7. Daniil Medvedev – USD$14.7 Million
Heralding from Russia, Daniil is a newcomer to the riches of the tennis world. Coming in hot, the 25-year-old has snagged some serious deals off his impressive skill set, making him one the 7th highest-paid tennis player right now.
World Ranking: 2
Nationality: Russian
Age: 25
ATP Titles: 13
Major Titles: 1
Career Prize Money: USD$22 million
Off-Court Earnings: USD$14.7 million
Apparel Sponsor: Tecnifibre, Lacoste, Bovet
Instagram Followers: 753 k
8. Dominic Thiem – USD$10.9 Million
Once ranked as high as third in the world, Dominic Thiem is an Austrian tennis player and is currently one of the highest-paid tennis players globally in 2022. He can thank his powerful hit on the court and handsome looks for his various off-the-court earnings.
World Ranking: 230
Nationality: Austrian
Age: 28
ATP Titles: 17
Major Titles: 1
Career Prize Money: USD$28 million
Off-Court Earnings: USD$10 million
Apparel Sponsor: adidas, Babolat, Bank Austria, Rolex, Red Bull, Duravit, Technogym, Sky Sport
Instagram Followers: 1.4 million
9. Stefanos Tsitsipas – USD$7.5 Million
One of the youngest players to make the list, Stefanos Tsitsipas comes from a thriving tennis family, so it’s no surprise he has made a name for himself on the main stage. With plenty of years ahead of him, we expect his worth will only go up!
World Ranking: 4
Nationality: Greek
Age: 23
ATP Titles: 7
Major Titles: 0
Career Prize Money: USD$16 million
Off-Court Earnings: USD$7.5 million
Apparel Sponsor: adidas, Rexona, Rolex
Instagram Followers: 1.4 million
10. Alexander Zverev – USD$5.5 Million
Last but not least, Alexander Zverev is the 10th highest-paid tennis player in the world right now. The German powerhouse was also born into a tennis family and is showing no signs of slowing down.
World Ranking: 3
Nationality: German
Age: 24 years
ATP Titles: 19
Major Titles: 0
Career Prize Money: USD$30 million
Off-Court Earnings: USD$5.5 million
Apparel Sponsor: adidas, Rolex, Richard Mille, Head
Instagram Followers: 1.5 million
Endorsements vs Earnings
The world of tennis and money is no simple merriment. In fact, there are two roads of revenue- endorsements and earnings. Some players make most of their money through endorsements, whereas other players make most of their income from tour earnings. For example, much-loved tennis player and famous face, Federer, makes the bulk of his millions through endorsements, whereas most players make their money through a combination of both. In what may be a surprise to some, most tennis players earn most of their income through endorsements- by miles!
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General FAQs
Roger Federer is the highest-paid tennis player in 2022.
Roger Federer's net worth is USD 550 million.
Novak Djokovic won the most prize money on the ATP tour in 2021.
