Alcaraz returns to the top of the tennis economy

For yet another season, Carlos Alcaraz's success extends from the sporting to the economic sphere. The 22-year-old Spaniard, winner of five major titles, is triumphing on the court and also off it, signing a series of contracts that once again grant him the status of the highest-paid tennis player in the world . Specifically, according to the specialized publication Forbes , the Murcia native earned $48.3 million (€41.2 million) last year; that is, six million more than the previous year, when the magazine already specified that he had earned more than anyone else, male or female. He was followed by veteran Novak Djokovic, who now falls to fourth place.

Since rising to stardom in his sport, becoming the youngest world number one of all time in 2022, Alcaraz has maintained the winning streak that seduces brands. His victories have earned him 11.3 million euros, but the bulk of his income comes from sponsorships, which earn him up to 29.8 million euros in automotive ambassadorships, sunscreen, regional tourism, sports brands, food, watches and luxury fashion, and even water, among others. As on the court, Italian Jannik Sinner, the current leader of the circuit , competes with him on the market and has managed to rise from fifth to second place on the list, with a total of 17.3 million euros from his victories.

Therefore, the redhead (23 years old) is the one who best exploits his performance, although in marketing terms the El Palmar native remains ahead. Sinner has at least a dozen advertising contracts (23 million) and his final figure rises to 40.3 million euros, placing him very close to the Spaniard. It's worth remembering that he is, after all, the one who got the biggest check in history, having won the Six Kings Slam— an exhibition held in Riyadh in October —and thus posed with a check for 5.5 million euros. Meanwhile, Djokovic, 38 years old and established as the most successful male player, is suffering a setback that is mainly due to his sporting side.

Nole is playing fewer tournaments and since winning Olympic gold in Paris, she has only lifted one trophy, a smaller one in Geneva . Consequently, her earnings have dropped from 33.4 to 25.2. Her impact, however, remains extraordinary on a commercial level. Her ranking is on par with American Coco Gauff, third in the financial rankings and the top female earner; 21.3 million of her 31.7 million earnings come from her sponsors. She astonished tennis at 15, and at 21, she is considered Serena Williams' successor in terms of social commitment. A fixture on the WTA podium, she has already won two major titles and is another draw for the younger crowd.

Gauff is one of four women in the Forbes top 10 , which also includes world number one Aryna Sabalenka with 23.3; China's Qinwen Zheng , one place lower (sixth with 22.2) despite not having won a major tournament; and Poland's Iga Swiatek, who succeeds the Asian with 20.4 and who, like Sinner, has not been financially affected by the impact of her doping suspensions; three months for the Italian and one for her. With six majors already under her belt, the last of them just over a month ago at Wimbledon, the Warsaw native is the only active player to have been crowned on all three surfaces (hard, clay and grass).

The line-up has been renewed—the commercial records of Roger Federer and Serena Williams are a thing of the past—and there are several tweaks compared to 2024. The names of Rafael Nadal, Casper Ruud, and the Japanese Naomi Osaka , who at one point earned around 35 million, have disappeared. Today, however, the reference point is Alcaraz, whose professional projection is transversal and captivates audiences of all ages. With a distinct and creative approach, smiling here and there, the Murcian repeats at the top and continues to raise his cachet, earning, according to the publication, up to one million per tournament and two million for an exhibition.