Tennis stands out in the world of professional sports. Unlike team sports, where athletes sign huge guaranteed contracts, tennis players earn their money based on performance—one match at a time. Their prize money depends on how far they go in tournaments. While sponsorships often bring in much more income than prize money, on-court earnings tell a clear story about an athlete’s consistency, dominance, and staying power.
For many years, men led the way in tennis prize money, partly due to larger prize pools in men’s events and longer top-tier careers. But recently, the women’s game has seen a major rise, with global stars earning hundreds of millions both on and off the court. Since the early 2000s, especially at Grand Slam events, the gender pay gap has narrowed significantly, with equal prize money now standard at those tournaments.
Still, only a select few players in tennis history have crossed into the nine-figure territory through prize money alone. Below is a definitive breakdown of the top career earners in tennis, for both men and women. These totals exclude income from endorsements, appearance fees, or licensing deals—which often outpace on-court earnings.
Top Career Earnings in Men’s Tennis (Prize Money Only)
Novak Djokovic – $187,871,269
Rafael Nadal – $134,946,100
Roger Federer – $130,594,339
Andy Murray – $64,687,542
Alexander Zverev – $52,935,482
Daniil Medvedev – $46,277,151
Pete Sampras – $43,280,489
Carlos Alcaraz – $41,835,058
Jannik Sinner – $40,069,385
Stan Wawrinka – $37,511,717
Top Career Earnings in Women’s Tennis (Prize Money Only)
Serena Williams – $94,816,730
Venus Williams – $42,648,578
Simona Halep – $40,236,618
Maria Sharapova – $38,777,962
Victoria Azarenka – $38,396,707
Petra Kvitová – $37,359,508
Caroline Wozniacki – $36,441,868
Iga Świątek – $35,625,419
Aryna Sabalenka – $34,643,238
Angelique Kerber – $32,519,180
The Power of Endorsements
If off-court earnings were factored in, the rankings would look very different. Take Roger Federer: although he earned just over $130 million from playing, his total career income tops $1 billion, thanks to major deals with Uniqlo, Rolex, Wilson, Mercedes-Benz, and more. Serena Williams also raked in hundreds of millions from endorsements, investments, and her business ventures. Even during a suspension, Maria Sharapova remained among the highest-paid female athletes globally.
That said, prize money remains the clearest measure of sustained success in tennis. And in that category, Novak Djokovic is unmatched. He holds the record for the most on-court earnings in tennis history—male or female—and the gap continues to grow. Serena leads among women, with more than twice as much prize money as the next closest competitor.
Crossing $100 Million
In 2016, Novak Djokovic became the first player ever to cross the $100 million mark in career prize money. He achieved this milestone after winning the French Open, which also completed his career Grand Slam. That year, he passed both Federer and Nadal in total earnings and has stayed ahead ever since. His long-term dominance and frequent deep runs in tournaments have helped him build an unrivaled prize money total.
Chasing $200 Million
As of now, Djokovic is competing in a French Open semifinal against Jannik Sinner. Heading into this tournament, he had earned around $187.1 million in prize money. If he retires at year’s end, he would need to earn about $12.9 million more to break the $200 million barrier. That number is still within reach, given the key events left this season:
French Open: $2.9 million
Wimbledon: $3.4 million
US Open: $3.6 million
ATP Finals (undefeated winner): $4.88 million
If Djokovic were to win all four, he would take home roughly $14.78 million—raising his career total to about $201.86 million. Even winning three of these events—or two plus a strong ATP Finals showing—could be enough to cross the $200 million mark.
Regardless of whether he reaches it, Djokovic has already set a historic benchmark for tennis earnings that could stand for generations.
Wealthiest Tennis Player Ever
You might assume that Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer is the richest tennis player in history. But surprisingly, that title goes to someone many people have never heard of: Ion Țiriac.
A former pro from Romania, Țiriac earned only a few million on court during the 1960s and 70s. But after retiring, he became a business tycoon. His empire—built in post-communist Eastern Europe—includes banking, insurance, airlines, car dealerships, real estate, and more.
In 1990, Țiriac founded Romania’s first private bank after the fall of communism, Banca Țiriac. He also launched and still owns the Madrid Open. Additionally, he holds a major stake in UniCredit Țiriac Bank, one of Romania’s biggest banks. His empire has grown to include luxury cars, private jets, hotels, and commercial properties.
Today, Ion Țiriac’s estimated net worth is $2.4 billion, making him not only the wealthiest tennis player ever but also the second-richest athlete on the planet—trailing only Michael Jordan. Not bad for a player who never won a Grand Slam.
