Novak Djokovic reigned supreme ahead of his peers as he topped Forbes' annual list of the top earners in tennis in the last 12 months.
Djokovic amassed an estimated $38.4 million (inclusive of taxes and agent fees) in the period between September 2022 to August 2023, out of which he banked $13.4 million in prize money and roughly $25 million off-court fortune ranging from endorsement deals, appearance fees and licensing.
Forbes' list, which only includes active tennis players sees Djokovic beat second-placed Carlos Alcaraz by a healthy margin. The 20-year-old Spaniard raked an estimated $31.4 million in the past year of which $11.4 million was accounted on the tennis courts by virtue of winning two Grand Slams.
Alcaraz earned $20 million away from the court, and that figure is expected to rise significantly following his latest contract extension with French racket sponsor Babolat. WTA No. 1 Iga Swiatek is third on the list, having made $22.4 million, while Daniil Medvedev is in fourth place and the last player who amassed at least a fortune of $20 million.
Injured star Rafael Nadal is surprisingly in fifth spot, but that is because he raked more in sponsorship income than tennis-related revenue. Nadal made $14 million out of his total of $15.1 million in endorsements. The Spanish lefty isn't the only injured player who made more in endorsements.
British star Emma Raducanu and former WTA No. 1 Naomi Osaka, who are both on a hiatus, made an eight-figure income from endorsements and make up the top-10 list. The American duo of Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula also make their way into the top 10, having made $15.2 million and $10.9 million respectively.
Since 2007, Roger Federer has been the highest-paid tennis player for over a decade, but after his retirement, he is ineligible to feature in the current list.
The World’s Highest-Paid Tennis Players 2023:
| # | Player | Prize Money | Off-Court | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Novak Djokovic | $13.4 mil | $25 mil | $38.4 mil |
| 2. | Carlos Alcaraz | $11.4 mil | $20 mil | $31.4 mil |
| 3. | Iga Swiatek | $8.4 mil | $14 mil | $22.4 mil |
| 4. | Daniil Medvedev | $7.1 mil | $13 mil | $20.1 mil |
| 5. | Rafael Nadal | $1.5 mil | $14 mil | $15.5 mil |
| 6. | Emma Raducanu | $0.3 mil | $15 mil | $15.3 mil |
| 7. | Coco Gauff | $3.2 mil | $12 mil | $15.2 mil |
| 8. | Casper Ruud | $6.4 mil | $8 mil | $14.4 mil |
| 9. | Naomi Osaka | $0.1 mil | $12 mil | $12.1 mil |
| 10. | Jessica Pegula | $4.9 mil | $6 mil | $10.9 mil |
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