Top 10 Wealthiest Tennis Players

Tennis players who reach the summit of the sport can amass wealth through their career earnings because tennis pays well and that goes without saying.

They are also able to leverage their success and popularity to earn further through other off court earning avenues.

Our top 10 wealthiest tennis players list features current and former players, male and female, as well as the less popular in the sport. We explore the cream of the crop earners in tennis.

Who Are the Wealthiest Tennis Players?

It’s safe to say that players who feature in the top 10 of the wealthiest tennis players present to us very dynamic avenues of wealth generation.

Most of the players we have featured in our top 10 acquired much of their wealth from other ventures not related to the sport, but primarily because of their successes in the sport.

Ion Tiriac is somewhat of the exception. We can confidently say that his business acumen is solely responsible for his billionaire status.

What he earned in tennis is dwarfed by the amount of money he has since gone on to amass after retirement. 

1. Ion Tiriac

Not one of the most popular or successful tennis names on this list and the only billionaire. 

Ion Tiriac acquired most of his wealth post-retirement with investments in banking, real estate, transport and through athlete management.

The Romanian billionaire was also a professional hockey player and has 34 singles titles in tennis.

• Country of Birth: Romania
• Turned Pro: 1968
• Retired: 1979
• Singles Highest Rankings: No.19, 1968
• Doubles Highest Rankings: No.8, 9 April 1979
• Wealth: $2.1 billion

2. Roger Federer 

Although coming in second to Tiriac, Roger Federer, made more from tennis than his Romanian counterpart.

The recently retired Swiss tennis legend boasts of lucrative sponsorship deals from brands such as Mercedez Benz, Gillette, Credit Suisse, Lindt and many more.

Federer’s prize money earnings are estimated to be around $130 million, third all-time in terms of ATP earnings.

• Country of Birth: Switzerland
• Turned Pro: 1998
• Retired: 2022
• Singles Highest Rankings: No.1, February 2, 2004
• Doubles Highest Rankings: No.24, June 9, 2003
• Wealth: $550 million

3. Serena Williams

The most successful female tennis player of all time and one of tennis’ greatest stars, Serena Williams, is the WTA’s highest all-time earner in prize monies at $90.8 million.

The American enjoys lucrative sponsorship deals with brands such Nike, Ford, Pepsi, IBM and others, which contribute significantly to her overall wealth.

Through Serena Ventures, Williams invests in businesses to strengthen her portfolio. In 2022, she called time on her storied career, which boasts of 23 Grand Slams among her numerous achievements. 

• Country of Birth: United States
• Turned Pro: 1995
• Retired: 2022
• Singles Highest Rankings: No.1, July 8, 2002
• Doubles Highest Rankings: No.1, June 21, 2010
• Wealth: $300 million

4. Novak Djokovic 

The highest-earning tennis player ever, male or female, Djokovic has amassed an estimated $185 million from his on-court activities.

The Serbian is also an astute businessman, with a recently launched brand in his arsenal. 

‘SILA by Novak Djokovic’, is an electrolyte drinks cube brand developed by him with other stakeholders.

He is associated with brands such as Asics, NetJets, Peugeot and others. With Asics, he has developed a custom-made shoe, considered to be the best in the market. 

• Country of Birth: Serbia
• Turned Pro: 2003
• Retired: Active
• Singles Highest Rankings: No.1, July 4, 2011
• Doubles Highest Rankings: No.144, November 30, 2009
• Wealth: $240 million

5. Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal has a massive sponsorship deal with Nike that kits him out from head to toe. The Spanish tennis player is also one of the most successful players in history, with 14 Rolland Garros titles.

His $135 million prize money earnings make him the second highest earner of all time behind Novak Djokovic.

The King of Clay, as he is known, is commercially associated with Louis Vuitton, Kia and Richard Mille amongst other high-end brands.

• Country of Birth: Spain
• Turned Pro: 2001
• Retired: Active
• Singles Highest Rankings: No.1, August 18, 2008
• Doubles Highest Rankings: No.26, August 8, 2005
• Wealth: $220 million

6. Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova was once the highest-paid female athlete in the world for 11 consecutive years. 

Despite her ban from tennis in 2016 after failing a drug test at the 2016 Australian Open, the Russian amassed $38 million in career earnings.

Most of her wealth was earned off the court and with investments in MoonPay, Public.com and Moncler Group.

• Country of Birth: Russia
• Turned Pro: 2001
• Retired: 2020
• Singles Highest Rankings: No.1, August 5, 2005
• Doubles Highest Rankings: No.41, June 14, 2004
• Wealth: $180 million6. Maria Sharapova

7. Pete Sampras

Pete Sampras won 14 major singles titles, which was the record upon his retirement. The American’s career earnings at the time of his retirement were $43.2 million and he has amassed wealth through other avenues since then.

He’s speaking engagements, investments in real estate and other ventures have served to only increase his overall wealth.

• Country of Birth: United States
• Turned Pro: 1998
• Retired: 2003 (official), September 8, 2022 (last match)
• Singles Highest Rankings: No.1, April 12, 1993
• Doubles Highest Rankings: No.27, February 12, 1990
• Wealth: $150 million

9. Steffi Graf

One of the best tennis players of her time, Steffi Graf, is the wife to fellow former professional, Andre Agassi. The two have been married for over twenty years.

The German earned $21 million in her career, and most of her overall wealth is tied to that of her husband.

• Country of Birth: Germany
• Turned Pro: 1982
• Retired: 1999
• Singles Highest Rankings: No.1, August 17, 1987
• Doubles Highest Rankings: No.3, March 3, 1987
• Wealth: $145 million