The 10 seasons in which a tennis player earned the most money in ATP tournaments

Diego Jiménez Rubio | 18 Nov 2024 | 07.42

Record prize money in tennis in one season. Photo: gettyimages

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Powerful knight, Sir money. Much is said about the poor economic distribution experienced in tennis, with an elite swimming in abundance and a middle and lower class facing financial solvency issues. The increase in prize money for all tournaments favors setting records, something that Jannik Sinner has aspired to with his impressive season.

Before addressing the issue of money and tennis, it is necessary to establish some vital clarifications to avoid misunderstandings. The prize money we will talk about in this article refers to the money earned by tennis players from their on-court activity, that is, the economic amounts they take from the ATP tournaments played throughout the year. Jannik Sinner does not reach the historical record considering this.

It is not the earnings, as this money would have to deduct the numerous and varied expenses that a tennis player has, nor is it the total money they bill, as sponsorship agreements, performance-related financial bonuses, or fees for participating in tournaments, whether official or exhibition, are not included here. All of these are very difficult data to obtain, although this 2024 has been unique in that regard due to the Six Kings Slam 2024.

- Sinner's earnings, both from tennis and commercial sources, could amount to $50 million in 2024

This tournament has led many media outlets to talk about Jannik Sinner as the tennis player who has earned the most money in a year. Perhaps they are not wrong, but it is impossible to know. Why? To consider the Italian the highest-paid tennis player in a year in history, you would have to take into account the $6 million he won in Riyadh for becoming champion of the mentioned event. However, we cannot compare the resulting figure with the official prize money of other players in different seasons, as in those cases, we do not know the money they might have earned in exhibitions or fixed fees just for participating in tournaments.

What is clear is that the current number 1 player in the world has earned a vast amount of money. To the $16,194,435 obtained in ATP calendar events, many more things can be added of which we do not know the amount, although we do know that in Riyadh, at least, he pocketed another $6 million, while some Italian media suggest that in advertising and sponsorship agreements, he could reach another $30 million, so it would not be unreasonable to think that Sinner may have billed over $50 million in 2024.

Faced with this uncertain scenario, it is best to make comparisons with the official and reliable data we possess, that is, the prize money from official tournaments. One might think that, due to the permanent increase in tournament prize money, the best annual records would have been set in recent seasons, but to enter this particular top-10, winning many tournaments and having impressive seasons are required. What Jannik Sinner has achieved in 2024 places him among the best positions.

- Top-10 seasons with a tennis player earning the highest prize money