How Much Do Men and Women Tennis Players Make?

Last updated on July 19th, 2022 at 01:49 pm

Being a pro tennis player can earn one a lot of money. The better the player’s performance, the higher the caliber of the tennis tournaments they can participate in, which plays a huge role in how much a tennis player makes. Higher-level tournaments, such as the Grand Slam tournaments, offer higher prize money, so the highest-paid athletes put so much work into winning these tournaments.

According to the Adelphi University of New York, male tennis players make an average of $335k for tennis as of 2019. For women, they make, on average, $283k per year. However, those are just averages, and some of the best athletes for men’s and women’s tennis make tens of millions of dollars yearly playing the game.

Below, we will further discuss the intricate details determining how much a tennis player makes.

Table of Contents

Do Tennis Players Make More Money if they Win?

Professional tennis players desire to win every tournament. Not simply for the glory, but the payments are much higher for the winner than for other players. A player who makes it to the semifinals of the U.S. Open will bring in $657,000 compared to the winner, who will bring in upwards of $2.5 million. So there is more money to be made when a tennis player wins.

Check out the complete guide from Perfect-Tennis to see the breakdown in dollars and Euros.

Do Tennis Players Get Paid if they Lose?

It is never a tennis player’s desire to lose, but they can still earn prize money even if they lose. Lower-level players put so much work into qualifying for tournaments because they know that some payment will come their way even if they lose in the early stages.

For example, players who only win the first round of a tournament and nothing else can make an average of $20,000, but that money does not go far. In addition, most of the coaches and equipment a player walks around with are usually paid for out of their own pockets, meaning that $20,000 can quickly disappear.

Do Tennis Players Get Paid for Sponsorships?

Sponsorships exist in tennis just as they do in most professional sports, and players get paid. It is not uncommon to see a player walking around with a bag riddled with logos of companies like Nike (the main clothing sponsor for women and men) that gave them a sponsorship deal. Many players rely on these sponsorship deals to pay for their training, racquets, stringing, etc.

A player will play their best tennis when they have a sponsor. They play their best because there is a level they need to maintain to keep that sponsorship, which means there is more on the line for them to keep their playing level strong.

Apart from prize money, it is one of the main ways a player earns money. For instance, Roger Federer made 86 million dollars in a single year from sponsorship deals alone with companies like Rolex and Uniqlo. Other players, all of whom are the top tennis players in their respective divisions, have even earned Top 100 Forbes mentions for their earnings from sponsorships or endorsement deals, like Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.

Is there a League Minimum Salary for Tennis Players?

The ATP or WTA tours do not have set minimums for their players. Tournaments have a set amount of money they give out to players for each competition stage, but there is no minimum salary the ATP or WTA requires for its players.

Is there a League Maximum Salary for Tennis Players?

Just as there is no minimum for a tennis player, there is no maximum. The sky’s the limit for how much a player wants to earn. Whether through endorsements, sponsorship deals, or appearance fees, players understand that the more they play, the higher the rank, and which division they play in (team sport or singles) will ultimately determine how much money they will make in the long term.

It also matters where they are playing because Grand Slam events like the Australian Open, French Open, or any other ATP tournament often give out more money than most other events.

What Tennis Players Have Earned the Most Money?

Among all the tennis leagues (women and men), Roger Federer is the player who has earned the most money. The combination of earnings includes sponsorship deals, prize money, etc. He has made 214 million dollars in his highly decorated career.

The highest-paid female player is Serena Williams, who has accumulated 129.7 million dollars in her career.

What is the Pay Difference Between Men and Women Tennis Players?

According to the Adelphi University of New York, there is an annual average wage gap between men and women tennis athletes of $52k. While that might seem high, that is the closest gap between men’s and women’s sports currently on the U.S. market.

For example, there is an 8 million dollar gap in basketball between men and women. Baseball vs. softball is at $4million, and soccer is over $300k.

Conclusion: How Much Do Tennis Players Make?

In summary, on average, tennis players make a few hundred thousand dollars a year. In addition to that, there is no league minimum or maximum for how much a player can make. Finally, tennis stars can earn more money each year through lucrative sponsorships, appearances, and endorsements.

Naomi Osaka is one of the newest up-and-coming tennis players. She has already accumulated more than 75.3 million dollars in her short career. Of course, the backdrop is that most players have to pay for their things, but aside from that, the ATP and the WTA give their players the avenues to be financially stable, even if they are not the top-ranked player in the world.

How Much Do Tennis Players Make?