In 2023, Novak Djokovic out-earned everyone in tennis. This is despite not receiving millions in bonus payments.
When players tallied their earnings from the ATP Tour and Grand Slam tournaments, Djokovic was the clear winner. The result was obvious.
However, the picture became less clear when bonus payments were factored in. Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, was one of the few top 20 players who didn’t receive a bonus.
Why, you ask? Well, it’s simple. Djokovic missed more than three ATP Masters 1000 mandatory tournaments. This made him ineligible for the bonus payment.
Regardless, the Serbian superstar still managed to earn more than anyone else. He bagged an impressive $15,952,044 throughout the 2023 season. His closest rival was Carlos Alcaraz.
Alcaraz, a Spaniard, earned more than $5 million less in prize money in 2023. However, he made up for it with bonuses. He earned $4,443,073 in bonus payments, bringing his total prize money to $15,196,504.
In a historic first, four players earned over $10 million. Following the two Grand Slam winners in 2023 were Daniil Medvedev with $11,548,023, and Jannik Sinner with $10,456,264.
After that, the earnings drop is quite significant. Still, three players managed to earn over $5 million for their efforts during the 2023 season. These players were Andrey Rublev, Alexander Zverev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Rublev earned $6,571,890, Zverev collected $5,643,764, while Tsitsipas got $5,489,110. Holger Rune just missed the $5-million mark, earning $4,946,875 during the 2023 season.
Joining Djokovic on the list of players who didn’t receive any bonus payments were Ben Shelton and Cameron Norrie. Despite this, both still managed to earn over $2 million in prize money.
The American youngster, Shelton, is 17th on the list with $2,513,275. The Brit, Norrie, is the 21st-best-earner on the ATP Tour in 2023, earning $2,181,535.
Takeaways
‣ Novak Djokovic was the highest earner in tennis in 2023, despite not receiving any bonus payments due to missing more than three ATP Masters 1000 mandatory tournaments.
‣ Djokovic earned a total of $15,952,044 throughout the 2023 season, ahead of his closest rival, Carlos Alcaraz, who earned a total of $15,196,504, including $4,443,073 in bonus payments.
‣ For the first time in history, four players earned over $10 million in 2023, with Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner following Djokovic and Alcaraz.