Olympic gold medal-winner Novak Djokovic has been overtaken as the best-paid tennis star in the world, with the Serb’s earnings in 2024 revealed – and Coco Gauff also placed highly
Tennis superstar Carlos Alcaraz has leapfrogged Novak Djokovic in the wealth rankings despite the Serb’s triumphant year to date.
The world No. 2 recently celebrated one of his greatest triumphs to date after finally clinching his first Olympic gold medal. However, Djokovic’s failure to secure a Grand Slam title this year has allowed young Spanish sensation Alcaraz to surpass him in the financial stakes.
The 21-year-old Spaniard has raked in a whopping £32million so far this year, making him the highest earner in tennis. After winning his maiden major at the 2022 US Open, Alcaraz doubled his haul of Grand Slam crowns to four in 2024, sealing both the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles.
Last year, Djokovic was the kingpin of coin in the sport, earning £5.3m more than Alcaraz. But it’s not just about the men – women’s tennis star has Coco Gauff also made her mark, securing third place on the wealth list, ahead of big names like Rafael Nadal and Jannik Sinner.
Forbes (via the Daily Express) has reported Alcaraz’s earnings for the year so far are an eye-watering £32m ($42.3). His on-court winnings amount to a cool £7.8m ($10.3m), but the bulk of his 2024 estate comes from the £24.23m ($32m) he’s added outside competition – not too shabby for someone still near the start of his career.
Meanwhile, Djokovic had to settle for second place behind his latest nemesis. Although Djokovic’s on-court earnings of £9.24m ($12.2m) were slightly higher than Alcaraz’s – his off-court earnings were significantly lesser at £18.9m, leaving him trailing by £4m behind his new rival.
Despite Alcaraz’s superior campaign to the Serb, these figures may not come as a surprise to many. However, tennis enthusiasts may well be taken aback to learn that Gauff was the third-highest earner in the sport.
Carlos Alcaraz is looking down on Djokovic from the peak of the earnings mountain (
Julian Finney/Getty Images)
The American netted an impressive £20.52m ($27.1m) this year alone. Her wealth includes £5.38m ($7.1m) from on-court winnings and an additional £15.14m ($20m) from sponsorships, endorsements and other endeavours.
Gauff, 20, has quickly risen to become one of the most skilled and marketable stars in the game. Her stock started to really climb in 2023 when she made her mark by clinching the US Open title, while she also claimed a share of the French Open doubles title this year.
She boasts 11 long-term partnerships with brands such as hair care company Carol’s Daughter, Naked juices and Fanatics, as well as fashion companies like American Eagle. This popularity also saw her chosen as the USA’s flag-bearer alongside LeBron James, and she’s the world No. 3 in singles and No. 15 in doubles.
Following the top three, Swiatek secured fourth place with earnings of £20m ($26.7m), Sinner comes in at fifth with £20m ($26.6m) and Nadal sixth at £17.6m ($23.3m). Medvedev placed directly behind the Spanish icon on £15.3m ($20.3m), Osaka took eighth with £11m ($14.6m), Ruud was ninth with £10.5m ($13.9m) and Sabalenka rounded off the top 10 on £10.4m ($13.7m).