Money Tennis Ball: Alcaraz, Novak, Iga Are Earnings Leaders Heading To U.S. Open
Saturday, August 26, 2023 at 10:32PM By Barry Janoff
UPDATED August 28, 2023: Jack Sock posted to social media Sunday he plans to retire following the U.S. Open. John Isner previously said he plans to retire after the Open.
Kei Nishikori has withdrawn from the U.S. Open due to an injured left knee.
Others who have withdrawn from the U.S. Open include Hologoic WTA Tour players Bianca Andreescu, Paula Badosa, Caty McNally and Shuai Zhang.
Simona Halep is also counted as having withdrawn after testing positive and being provisionally suspended for the banned substance roxadustat, which she is appealing.
ATP Tour players who have withdrawn include Pablo Carreno Busta, Marin Cilic, Nick Kyrgios, Reilly Opelka, Denis Shapovalov, Jan Lennard Struff and Mikael Ymer.
August 25, 2023: Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Iga Świątek are not only atop the ATP Tour and Hologic WTA Tour rankings, they also lead in earnings over the past year among all active tennis players.
The Top Ten earners in tennis over the past year had a combined $196 million in winnings and endorsements.
However, that figure represents a 38% drop from the previous year’s $316 million total and a 43% decline from 2020’s record $343 million, “but the (retirements) of Roger Federer and Serena Williams, with a combined $125 million in earnings on the 2022 list, accounts for most of the difference,” according to Forbes.
Federer had been the world’s highest-paid tennis player for the past several years, and still earns an estimated $95 million a year from endorsements, but his retirement last September and that of Williams took them off the Forbes active players list.
Rafael Nadal has not played since the 2023 Australian Open in January due to injuries and recovery, but comes in at No. 5 with $15.5M, $14 million from endorsements. He recently signed new deals including InfoSys and Subway.
Emma Raducanu has not played since the 2023 Miami Open in March due to multi-surgeries and recovery, but still makes the Top Ten list at No. 6, with all but $300,000 of her $15.3 million income coming from endorsements.
Naomi Osaka became a mom in July and has not played in 2023, but still ranks at No. 9 with $12 million from endorsements and $100,000 from prize money over the past year.
Whoever wins the 2023 U.S. Open will greatly enhance their earrings, with $3 million each awarded to the men's and women's singles champions.
Forbes said it does not include investment income such as interest payments or dividends but does account for payouts from equity stakes athletes have sold. Forbes also does not deduct for taxes or agents’ fees.
By comparison, the world’s top paid athletes according to Forbes are led by Cristiano Ronaldo soccer: $136 million total earnings/$90 million off-field; Lionel Messi soccer: $130 million total/$65 million off-field; Kylian Mbappé soccer: $120 million total/$20 million off-field; and LeBron James NBA: $119.5 million total/$75 million off-field.
Messi’s total does not include salary and other financial rewards from his recent signing with MLS Inter Miami.
Alcaraz surpassed $20 million in career prize money earnings following his runner-up finish in the Western & Southern Cincinnati Open earlier this month. His $556,630 payday put him at $20,366,707 for his career, according to Tennis Channel.
Świątek is on the cusp of topping $20 million with $19,906,763 in career earnings (to date).
The career ATP Tour leader is Novak Djokovic — who earned $1.19M by winning the Cincy Open — at $172,281,484.
The women’s leader in career earnings is Serena Williams at $94,816,730.
Forbes: Top Ten Highest Paid Tennis Players
1. Novak Djokovic $38.4M $13.4m on-court + $25m off-court
2. Carlos Alcaraz $31.4M $11.4m + $20m
3. Iga Świątek $22.4M $8.4m + $14m
4. Daniil Medvedev $20.1M $7.1m + $13m
5. Rafael Nadal $15.5M $1.5m + $14m
6. Emma Raducanu $15.3M $0.3m + $15m
7. CoCo Gauff $15.2M $3.2m + $12m
8. Casper Ruud $14.4M $6.4m + $8m
9. Naomi Osaka $12.1M $0.1m + $12m
10. Jessie Pegula $10.9 M $4.9m + $6m
The top ATP Tour men’s players in career winnings (to date):
1. Novak Djokovic (who earned $1.19 million by winning the Cincy Open) $172,281,484
2. Rafael Nadal $134,640,719
3. Roger Federer $130,594,339
4. Andy Murray $64,000,366
5. Pete Sampras $43,280,489
6. Stan Wawrinka $36,272,404
7. Alexander Zverev $35,679,498
8. Daniil Medvedev $32,512,216
9. David Ferrer $31,483, 911
10. Marlin Cilic $31,207,381
11; Andre Agassi $31,152,975
12. Dominic Thiem $29,814,627
14. Stefanos Tsitsipas $27,012,973
21. John Isner $22,296,808
The top Holgoic WTA Tour women’s players in career winnings (to date):
1.Serena Williams $94,816,730
2. Venus Williams $42,495,967
3. Simona Halep $40,203,437
4 . Maria Sharapova $38,777,962
5 Petra Kvitova $37,0577,032
6. Victoria Azarenka $36,379,240
7. Caroline Wozniacki $35,264,193
8. Angelique Kerber $31,886,468
9. Agnieszka Radwańska $27,683,807
10. Svetlana Kuznetsova $$25,816, 890
15. Ash Barty $23,829,070
18. Steffi Graff $21,895,277
20. Naomi Osaka $21,177,252
23. Iga Świątek $19,768,763
25. Aryna Sabalenka $18,044,545