It is thanks in particular to his sponsors that Carlos Alcaraz is the new financial king of world tennis.
And another string to Carlos Alcaraz’s racket. The Spaniard has established himself as the highest-paid tennis player in 2024, dethroning Novak Djokovic. With earnings estimated at Forbesat $42.3 million over the last 12 months, Alcaraz is ahead of the Serbian who has accumulated $37.2 million.
Sponsors are increasingly flocking to Alcaraz
At just 21 years old, Alcaraz has confirmed his status as the new star of tennis. His exceptional performances on the courts, including 4 Grand Slam titles, have earned him $10.3 million. But it is above all off the courts that he excels, with $32 million in revenue from advertising contracts and appearances. He is notably the image of Nike, his equipment supplier, with whom he recently renewed his contract on the rise, and of Babolat, supplier of racquets, bangagerie and strings (with whom he has a very long-term relationship), as well as the luxury brand Louis Vuitton, BMW cars, ElPozo delicatessen and Rolex watches.
Djokovic, now 2nd in the ranking, remains the top earner in terms of sports earnings with $12.2 million. American Coco Gauff completes the podium with $27.1 million.
A top 10 of younger and more equal salaries
The top 10 highest-paid players have a combined total of $246 million, up 26% from 2023. Notably, the average age is 26, a sign of generational renewal. Four women are included in this ranking, illustrating the financial parity specific to tennis. While the amounts remain far from the $90 million annually earned by Roger Federer, the new generation is asserting itself. With Alcaraz at the forefront, the future of tennis seems bright, both sportingly and financially.
Top 10 Highest Paid Tennis Players in 2024
10. Aryna Sabalenka : primes (6,16 M€) + sponsors (6,44 M€) = 12,6 M€
9. Casper Ruud : primes (3,59 M€) + sponsors (9,2 M€) = 12,8 M€
8. Naomi Osaka : primes (0,55 M€) + sponsors (12,88 M€) = 13,4 M€
7. Daniil Medvedev : primes (6,72 M€) + sponsors (11,96 M€) = 18,7 M€
6. Rafael Nadal : primes (0,28 M€) + sponsors (21,16 M€) = 21,4 M€
5. Jannik Sinner : primes (10,67 M€) + sponsors (13,8 M€) = 24,5 M€
4. Iga Swiatek : primes (10,76 M€) + sponsors (13,8 M€) = 24,6 M€
3. Coco Gauff : primes (6,53 M€) + sponsors (18,4 M€) = 24,9 M€
2. Novak Djokovic : primes (11,22 M€) + sponsors (23 M€) = 34,2 M€
1. Carlos Alcaraz: premiums (9.48 M€) + sponsors (29.44 M€) = 38.9 M€
