Three tennis players crack top 100 highest-paid athletes in the world

James Richardson
May 11, 2022

There are just three tennis professionals in the top 100 highest-paid athletes according to the latest estimates.

Sportico has ranked the top 100 highest-paid athletes over the last 12 months with the group bagging a collective $4.46 billion.

3 Serena Williams – $35.3 million

Despite not stepping out onto court since her withdrawal from Wimbledon last season, Serena Williams still out-earned all but one of the men on the ATP Tour.

A tiny fraction of her earnings were on-court winnings but Serena Williams now has a profile that exceeds the scope of the sport itself.

The film King Richard has kept her in the limelight over the last year allowing her to keep her sponsors happy enough while she is away from the court.

Williams’ smart investments are likely to ensure she is well set for her life after tennis.

2 Naomi Osaka – $52 million

Noami Osaka may have slipped out of the top 20 of the WTA Rankings but she has broken into the top 20 highest-paid athletes in the world.

Largely driven by sponsorship deals, Osaka’s earnings topped $50 million in the last 12 months.

Osaka did earn over $1 million on the WTA Tour in the last month but with her rising profile and return to her best tennis, she could break new ground when it comes to earnings for a woman in tennis.

With Ashleigh Barty retired and Serena and Venus Williams in semi-retirement, Osaka is undoubtedly the most marketable star on the WTA Tour.

1 Roger Federer – $85.7 million

Roger Federer disappointed — Roger Federer remains the highest-paid tennis player in the world despite a lack of time on court.

Roger Federer lost ground on the list of highest-paid athletes in the world after sliding down to 8th overall on the list.

The money he banked between May 2021 and the end of April 2022 is, of course, largely driven by endorsements and other commercial partnerships.

Federer claimed just $720,000 in winnings in the assessed period and has seen his total earned from endorsements shrink from a figure that was once over the $100 million mark.

Naomi Osaka Roger Federer Serena Williams