Carlos Alcaraz stunningly made more money in the last 12 months than Novak Djokovic despite being just 21 years old and 16 years younger than the Serbian.
The prize money available to ATP and WTA players is now very lucrative. For example, the winner of the men's and women's singles at this year's US Open will receive an incredible 3.6 million US dollars. Just reaching the first round pockets players $100,000.
Yet, top players usually receive even more money for their actions off the court. Brands worldwide are desperate to partner with the most successful athletes, meaning they pay substantial money to make that a reality.
That means many players are conscious of their image on the court and how they play. Alcaraz apologized for breaking his racket during his Cincinnati Open defeat to Gael Monfils, which may have harmed his image otherwise.
Admittedly, Novak Djokovic is an exception to that rule. The Serbian, who Chris Evert thinks could retire if he wins his 25th Grand Slam at the US Open, is unapologetically himself on the court, even if that involves getting fiery towards fans or umpires.
No one can argue with Djokovic's results, which are the most impressive in tennis history. His incredible success means brands are willing to ignore any of his behavior on the court they may not like to partner with him.
That fact is shown by Djokovic's being the second-highest-paid tennis player in the last 12 months. However, some may be surprised by Alcaraz's earning more money than the 24-time Grand Slam champion off the court at such an early stage of his career.
Forbes reported that Alcaraz earned $42.3 million in the previous 12 months. $32 million of that was from his activities off the court. This includes an exhibition match he played with Rafael Nadal and an upcoming docuseries about him.
Djokovic made $37.2 million, $25 million of which was earned off the court. His lucrative endorsement portfolio includes Asics, Head, Hublot, Lacoste, and a sponsorship deal with Waterdrop.
Coco Gauff was No. 3 on the list. Of her total of $27.1 million, $20 million came from deals off the court. She has an impressive 11 long-term partnerships, including Carol's Daughter, Naked Brand Juices, and Fanatics.
Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner completed the Top five. Swiatek earned slightly more than the Italian, $26.7 million compared to his $26.6 million. They both made $15 million off the court in the last 12 months.
Rafael Nadal was No. 6 on the list. His figures were notable for how much they relied on his dealings off the court. The Spaniard could only earn $300,000 in the preceding 12 months due to consistent injury issues.
However, the 14-time French Open champion still made $23 million despite playing very little during that period. A large chunk of that is from his controversial decision to become an ambassador for the Saudi Tennis Federation.
Daniil Medvedev, Naomi Osaka, Casper Ruud, and Aryna Sabalenka were the final four players on the list.
2024 World's Highest Paid Tennis Players:
| Rank | Player | Earnings |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Carlos Alcaraz | $42.3 million |
| 2. | Novak Djokovic | $37.2 million |
| 3. | Coco Gauff | $27.1 million |
| 4. | Iga Swiatek | $26.7 million |
| 5. | Jannik Sinner | $26.6 million |
| 6. | Rafael Nadal | $23.3 million |
| 7. | Daniil Medvedev | $20.3 million |
| 8. | Naomi Osaka | $14.6 million |
| 9. | Casper Ruud | $13.9 million |
| 10. | Aryna Sabalenka | $13.7 million |
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