There is no doubt that professional tennis is one of the most lucrative sports, both because of the profitability on the courts and because of the sponsorship agreements. Then…
We review the 5 highest paid tennis players in the world in 2021:
1. Roger Federer: $ 106.3 million
At 39, Roger Federer is, for the fifteenth year in a row, the highest paid tennis player in the world with earnings of $ 106.3 million before taxes between June 2019 and June 2020.
In addition, he is also the athlete with the highest income on the planet above Cristiano Ronaldo (105 million) and Lionel Messi (104 million), according to Forbes magazine. All this playing only 10 tournaments on the ATP circuit, winning Indian Wells and Miami Masters, during that period of time.
Federer earned more than 95% of his income off the track last year, especially after parting ways with Nike and signing a $ 300 million, 10-year contract with Japanese clothing brand Uniqlo in 2018.
2. Novak Djokovic: $ 44.6 million
Serbian Novak Djokovic ranks second with $ 44.6 million in pre-tax earnings. Seventy-two percent of his income comes from endorsements and appearance fees, as injuries kept the Belgrade-born tennis player off the courts for most of last year.
The sponsorship deal he signed with Lacoste in 2018 ($ 30 million for five years), Peugeut, Learjet and Audermars Pigue have kept him in the Top 5 highest paying tennis players in the world in 2020.
Djokovic has won more than $ 144 million in prize money for the last five Grand Slam titles he has won between 2018 and 2020 (2 Australian Open, 2 Wimbledon and 1 US Open)
3. Rafa Nadal: 40 million dollars
Rafa Nadal is the big favorite to win the Roland Garros tournament, which will be held from May 17 to June 6, according to tennis forecasts . The Spanish tennis player is the best clay court player in history, having won 13 titles on Parisian clay.
At 34, the manacorí ranks second with earnings of $ 40 million before taxes ($ 14 million in prize money and 26 million endorsement deals).
In 2020, Nadal extended his sponsorship agreement with Kia until 2025. The South Korean car manufacturer has accompanied the Spanish tennis player since he was 17, when he was still a young tennis promise, playing a very important role in his professional career.
4. Naomi Osaka: $ 37.4 million
Tennis is one of the few sports where some tournaments, such as the US Open, distribute the same amount of money to both men and women. For this reason, it is not surprising that Naomi Osaka is in fourth position with earnings of $ 37.4 million before taxes.
In addition, she is also the highest paid female athlete in the world, ahead of Serena Williams. Osaka had dual Japanese and American citizenship, but chose to represent Japan ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, which will be held from July 23 to August 8, 2021.
The decision made it an even more attractive product to sponsors such as All Nippon Airways, Nissin, and Procter & Gamble. In fact, only Roger Federer earned more than Osaka from endorsements between June 2019 and June 2020.
5. Serena Williams: $ 36 million
At 39, Serena Williams is considered one of the best outfits in history. The American has won $ 93 million in prize money throughout her professional career, double that of any other female athlete.
Today, Williams occupies the fifth position in the ranking of the highest paid tennis players in the world with earnings of $ 36 million before taxes. Money that is usually invested in the creation of new companies.
Without going any further, the Saginaw, Michigan-born tennis player has invested in more than 50 startups in the past six years through Serena Ventures, an investment firm that focuses on businesses founded by women and minorities.