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Novak Djokovic has become the reigning champion in light of tennis legend Roger Federer’s retirement this year. The Serbian ace has collected many historical milestones over the past year. One of them will be the world’s highest-paid tennis player in 2023. The Swiss used to hold that position since 2007, but now that he is no longer an active player, he has been deemed ineligible for this year’s ranking.

Djokovic ranks the highest in terms of ATP prize money. The second-seeded player emerged victorious at the Australian Open and the French Open this year. Although he lost Wimbledon to World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, he settled scores at the Cincinnati Open. His triumph in all the tournaments of his career has amassed a total of more than $510 million in pre-tax earnings, according to Forbes. He has earned a whopping sum of $38.4 million this year.

The third person who makes the big three is Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard has been on a break to heal from his injuries and, therefore, has fallen behind in the rankings to number 5. The 37-year-old legend also has a career total of $510 million pre-tax and a total prize money of $135 million.

A similar thing happened with the WTA this year, with the retirement of Serena Williams last year and Venus Williams falling off the top ten. The highest-paid woman, falling just behind Rafael Nadal, is Emma Raducanu.

Surprisingly, despite the injuries, the British player has been able to maintain her earnings. Her victory at the U.S. Open opened the floodgates of fame for her. Major brands like Dior, HSBC, and Porsche are being endorsed by her. A 2022 report also found that she has the highest engagement on her branded posts on social media than any other female tennis player. According to Forbes, her 2023 earnings will amount to a total of $15.3 million.

Also Read: Novak Djokovic handed one of the EASIEST draws in his pursuit of a historic 24th Grand Slam title

Pay disparity in tennis

This year, the number of women on the list of the highest-paid tennis players has increased from 4 to 5. Female tennis players usually have fewer marketing opportunities than men. While the prize money for men and women at the four major Grand Slams is the same, there is a substantial gap between the prize money at the smaller tournaments.

For example, at the Cincinnati Open, the champion, Novak Djokovic, was awarded prize money of $1,019,335 while the female champion, Coco Gauff, received $454,500 for her victory. The difference between the two had tennis fans in a fury. A few people took to social media to voice their concerns. Others stated that Djokovic, being the more popular one, deserved it.

Speaking on the pay disparity, the CEO of WTA stated, “We can’t change this overnight. But I’m very excited that we have a plan now—not to just sit and talk about this and hope that somebody will help us do the right thing that’s appropriate and deserving for these players. We’re going to make it happen. Maybe we can even get there faster if the revenues grow.”

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