Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic rewrote the tennis record books over the course of their remarkable careers, but which one of the ‘Big 3’ earned the most money in their careers?
There is a clear winner when it comes to prize money, as Djokovic’s longevity at the top of the sport and his success in winning more Grand Slams and Masters 1000 tournaments gives him the prize money edge, but Federer may be the overall winner in the cash battle.
MONEY EARNED ON COURT
Novak Djokovic is the big winner here, with his $186,249,969 placing him top of the all-time prize money list in tennis.
Nadal’s $134,946,100 puts him second on the all-time list of earnings in men’s tennis, with Federer not far behind with $130,594,339.
These figures do not include appearance fees that are handed out at non-mandatory tournaments, with all three certain to command huge fees from events desperate to add these three icons to their playing field.
WHAT ABOUT ROGER FEDERER’S SPONSORS?
Federer continues to be a hugely attractive option for sponsors, with his clean cut image and global popularity ensuring any brand he endorses gets a boost.
He currently has deals with Wilson, his long-time racket manufacturer and clothing brand Uniqlo, who signed Federer up on a long-term deal that ended his long-standing partnership with Nike.
The Swiss legend is also associated with Barilla, Credit Suisse Group (ADS), JURA, Lindt & Sprungli, LVMH Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, Mercedes-Benz, NetJets, On, RIMOWA, Rolex, Sunrise Communications AG and Switzerland Tourism.
The On deal is the most lucrative, as he was given equity in the company when he became a brand ambassador, with some estimates suggesting that slice of the shoe brand could now be worth in excess of $350m.
RAFAEL NADAL’S SPONSORSHIP DEALS
The 22-time Grand Slam winning legend also has an enduring appeal to sponsors, even though he hung up his racket for the final time last November.
Nike, racker supplier Babolat, Santander, Emporio Armani, Heliocare, Telefonica, Banco Sabadell, Tommy Hilfiger and Mapfre have all been associated with Nadal in recent years and he recently closed out a mega deal to sell part of his tennis academy in his Malaga homeland.
Reports in Spain suggest Nadal’s business accounts have seen a huge leap in revenue over the last year after a private investment firm took a 44.9% stake in Nadal’s Academy in Mallorca.
The deal has boosted the wealth of a player who won almost $135 million in his playing career by a whopping almost €100 million after the sale of the stake in his Academy brought in €94.1million.
The Academy, set up in Mallorca, welcomes some of the best young players in the game to learn the techniques that took Nadal to the top, with this sale to private investment firm GPF highlighting the value of the brand.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC’S SPONSORS
The brands who have confirmed sponsorship deals with Novak Djokovic are ASCIS, Head, Hublot, Lacoste, Lemero, NetJets, Peugeot, Raiffeisen Bank International and Ultimate Software Group.
Djokovic’s management team have also been active in signing up new sponsorship deals, with Qatar Airways, Waterdrop and luxury hotel brand Aman are among among those now working with Djokovic.
As is the case with his former on-court rivals, Djokovic’s status as a global icon not just of tennis but all of sport ensures he will continue to work with many of his current partners when his tennis career comes to an end.
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WHO TOPS THE TENNIS RICH LIST?
Federer, Nadal and Djokovic have earned financial windfalls that put them in at the top of the tennis rich list and such is their appeal that the money will continue to roll in for years to come.
Yet Federer may end up being the biggest winner in the money stakes as his deal with On could end up becoming one of the most lucrative in all of sport.
The Swiss shoe company has been valued at around £12billion and that makes Federer’s slice of the company’s shares a valuable commodity if the owners look to sell up or merge with a rival brand.
What is not in doubt is the legacy Federer, Nadal and Djokovic created on a tennis court will ensure they will be appearing on sporting rich lists for many years to come.
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