Over the years, tennis has made a name for itself in the world of sports largely because of the level of competitiveness associated with it. Apart from the elegance exuded by the sport, tennis is also renowned for giving back to the athletes significant monetary dividends for their toils on the court. While the sport is demanding to the core, the players associated with it draw sponsors and media attention to themselves like moths to a flame. In other words, it’s not surprising that famous personalities from the world of tennis rank among the richest athletes in the world.
Financial success in tennis has taken the shape of an arms race where the players who achieve the status of stars are wrapped in wealth, courtesy of their endorsement deals and off-the-court investments in addition to their winnings on the court. However, such jaw-dropping wealth is not just exclusive to the elite players― several newcomers in the world of professional tennis soon find their respective net worths amount to millions of dollars. Today, the charisma of the sport and its athletes has turned tennis into a lucrative industry, complete with the dazzling lights of global corporate conglomerates and sensationalism by the media.
Additionally, tennis players continue to reap the benefits of their playing days long after they have retired from the sport. The likes of Roger Federer and Serena Williams continue to lead lives of prosperity that most athletes from other sports cannot even dare to dream about. As such, the exclusion of such retired players from any list of the richest players of tennis will only diminish the magnanimity of the sport.
While pay disparity exists in most sports across the globe, tennis is an exception when it comes to the earnings of male and female players. However, for this list, we decided to focus solely on the men in the world of tennis. So join us as we take a look at the richest male tennis players of all time.
Who are the richest male tennis players of all time?
Ion Tiriac
Net worth in 2023: USD 2 billion
A former Grand Slam winner (the 1970 French Open men’s doubles title), Ion Tiriac was also associated with ice hockey alongside tennis. He was a member of the Romanian national ice hockey team at the 1974 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. Tiriac continued to remain involved with tennis long after his retirement from the sport and also held the office of the President of the Romanian Tennis Federation. Additionally, he has been an advisor and coach to several tennis players.
At present, the 84-year-old yesteryear tennis player is the head of the Tiriac Group which has interests in real estate, automobiles and financial services. With a net worth of approximately USD 2 billion in 2023, according to Forbes, the Brasov Bulldozer (as Ion Tiriac is popularly known) is one of the wealthiest former athletes of all time.
Roger Federer
Net worth in 2023: USD 550 million
The winner of 20 Grand Slam titles, Roger Federer left a huge void in the heart of the sport when he retired from professional tennis in 2022. However, in no way did that leave any holes in his wallet. According to a report by Celebrity Net Worth, the Swiss maestro’s net worth, in 2023, stands at a mammoth USD 550 million. Often referred to as the “King of the Grass Court”, Federer also holds the record for most men’s singles titles at the Wimbledon Open with eight crowns to his name.
The 42-year-old former tennis player has earned over USD 1 billion throughout his career, and according to a report by Forbes, Roger Federer’s yearly income in 2023 is around USD 95.1 million, making him one of the richest male tennis players of all time. However, the tennis fraternity will forever regard him as a legend of the sport irrespective of the wealth he has amassed.
Novak Djokovic
Net worth in 2023: USD 240 million
The winner of a record 23 Grand Slam titles, including a record ten Australian Open crowns, Novak Djokovic is a modern-day legend of the sport. The Serbian tennis player sits at the second spot in the ATP world rankings as of September 2023 and has already won two Grand Slam titles in the ongoing year (the Australian Open 2023 and the French Open 2023). Djokovic will now be eyeing to cap off 2023 with a third Grand Slam win at the US Open 2023 and reclaim his spot at the top of the men’s world rankings.
In 2021, Forbes featured him in its list of the World’s Highest Paid Athletes. In 2023, Novak Djokovic’s salary continues to be the highest of most tennis players, with his overall estimated net worth being around USD 240 million, according to a report by Celebrity Net Worth. The 36-year-old tennis maestro might play for a few more years, post which he will retire as one of the greatest legends in the history of tennis.
Rafael Nadal
Net worth in 2023: USD 220 million
You must be living under a rock your entire life if you’ve not heard of Rafael Nadal.
Even though he has been missing from action for most of 2023, Nadal remains one of the finest tennis players of the modern era. The Spaniard has won a total of 22 Grand Slam titles to date, including a record 14 French Open crowns. In the course of his career, Rafael Nadal has shared historic rivalries with other greats of the game such as Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. His absence from the tennis court in recent times has had a negligible impact on his wealth.
According to reports, Rafael Nadal enjoys a net worth of around USD 220 million in 2023. Much of his wealth has come by virtue of his time on the tennis court. Reports suggest that Nadal has amassed over USD 125 million in the form of earnings on the ATP Tour since 2001. He might have dropped out of the top 100 of the ATP men’s singles rankings, but he remains one of the richest male tennis players in the world.
Pete Sampras
Net worth in 2023: USD 150 million
Widely regarded as one of the best tennis players of the Open Era, Pete Sampras was known for his fabled rivalry with Andre Agassi, against whom he won the final match of his career at the 2002 US Open final. Sampras has won a total of 14 Grand Slam titles in his career and held the record for the most Wimbledon Open titles with seven crowns to his name till Roger Federer overtook him in 2017. Even though it has been over two decades since his retirement from professional tennis, the American remains one of the richest male tennis players in the world.
According to various reports, Pete Sampras enjoys a net worth of around USD 150 million. Fans bestowed the title of ‘Pistol Pete’ on him because of his strong one-handed backhand shot. In 2007, Pete Sampras was also inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Andre Agassi
Net worth in 2023: USD 145 million
At times, even the greatest of legends of a particular sport suffer the most heartbreaking endings to their careers. Andre Agassi is one such figure from the world of tennis. An Olympic gold medallist and the winner of eight Grand Slam titles, the American’s career was plagued by a host of injuries and health concerns which forced him to retire in 2006. Andre Agassi remains the only player in the history of tennis to win the career Super Slam (winning the Career Grand Slam, the Olympic gold medal and the year-end championships). He is also the first male tennis player to win the singles events of all four Grand Slams on three different surfaces (hard, clay and grass).
Agassi remains one of the wealthiest male tennis players in 2023, 17 years after his retirement, which speaks volumes of how big of an ambassador he has been of the sport. According to reports, Andre Agassi has a net worth of around USD 145 million. The American has been married to former tennis player and fellow legend Steffi Graff since 2001.
Andy Murray
Net worth in 2023: USD 105 million
Regarded as one of the greatest British tennis players of all time, Andy Murray is famously known for being a part of the hallowed quartet of the tennis world alongside Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Though he has not been able to win a lot of major titles, unlike his compatriots, Murray was a force to be reckoned with back in the day and continues to be a respected player in the modern era. Throughout his time in professional tennis, the British player has made a fortune and ranks among the wealthiest male tennis players in 2023.
According to a report by CAknowledge, Andy Murray, in 2023, has a net worth of around USD 105 million. Forbes also ranked him as one of The World’s Highest-Paid Athletes in 2017. At the age of 36, Andy Murray might have lost some of his steam, but as they say, class is permanent, which means he can still pose a serious threat to the younger players vying for the crown of the undisputed king of the tennis world.
John McEnroe
Net worth in 2023: USD 100 million
Yet another yesteryear legend on the list, John McEnroe was best known for his rivalry with Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors. He remains the only male tennis player to hold the pole position in both the men’s singles and doubles rankings simultaneously. As such, it shouldn’t surprise anyone to discover that the American tennis legend has seven Grand Slam singles titles, nine Grand Slam men’s doubles titles and a solitary Grand Slam mixed doubles title to his name. McEnroe’s singles match record of 82 wins to three losses in 1984 also remains the best singles season rate in the Open Era.
Although he retired from all forms of professional tennis in 2006, John McEnroe remains one of the richest male tennis players in the world with an impressive net worth of around USD 100 million. McEnroe is currently married to rock singer Patricia Smyth.
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Bjorn Borg
Ne worth in 2023: USD 80 million
In the late 1970s, Bjorn Borg used to rule over the world of men’s tennis. The former Swedish number-one is the first man in the Open Era to have won 11 Grand Slam singles titles. Borg also holds an impeccable record of winning six title matches out of six appearances at the French Open and has won five consecutive Wimbledon Open titles as well. The Swede also held the record for most consecutive Wimbledon Open final appearances (six consecutive finals) till Roger Federer surpassed his tally in 2009. Borg’s rivalry with John McEnroe is widely considered to be one of the most fabled rivalries in the history of the sport.
At the age of 67 years, Bjorn Borg still ranks among the wealthiest male tennis players in 2023. According to a report by Celebrity Net Worth, the Swede’s net worth stands at approximately USD 80 million. He also holds the record for being the first man in the history of tennis to have earned over USD one million in prize money when he achieved the feat in 1979.
Andy Roddick
Net worth in 2023: USD 40 million
Summing up the list is former American tennis star and world number one Andy Roddick. With a solitary Grand Slam title under his belt (the 2003 US Open), Roddick has finished in the year-end top ten rankings on nine consecutive occasions between 2002 and 2010. However, he is perhaps best known for his rivalry with Roger Federer, against whom he has had the misfortune of losing four Grand Slam title matches (The Wimbledon Open in 2004, 2005 and 2009, and the US Open in 2006).
The American retired from professional tennis in 2012, following the conclusion of the US Open that year, to dedicate time to the Andy Roddick Foundation, a non-profit organisation aimed at providing lower-income students with summer and afterschool programs. According to reports, Andy Roddick, in 2023, has a net worth of around USD 40 million and ranks among the richest male tennis players of all time. He was also inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2017.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– Who is the richest male tennis player?
Ion Tiriac is the richest male tennis player with a net worth of around USD 2 billion.
(Main Image Credits: Courtesy Instagram/@Rafa Nadal and Instagram/@Andre Agassi)
(Featured Image Credits: Courtesy Instagram/@Rafa Nadal)
