Novak Djokovic‘s got some pretty amazing records that’ll be tough to beat. But his massive prize money haul from 2015? That might not last much longer.
Most tennis fans think 2015 was when Djokovic was playing his absolute best tennis. The 38-year-old won three Grand Slams and the ATP Finals that year.
He made it to the final of every single tournament he played. Well, almost every tournament – he lost early at the Qatar Open to Ivo Karlovic, but that was literally his only bad result all year.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novak Djokovic | 38 | 8,360 | 18 - 6 |
Djokovic earned $21,146,145 during that incredible season. Nobody’s come close since then.
But here’s the thing – Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are probably going to smash that record at some point. Maybe sooner than we think.
It’s basically just a two-man show now
Back when Djokovic was dominating, he had some serious competition. Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer were still playing incredible tennis. Andy Murray was constantly challenging for Grand Slams too.
That made Djokovic’s 2015 season even more impressive. Sure, Nadal was struggling a bit that year, but Federer, Murray, and Stan Wawrinka were all playing at really high levels. Djokovic just steamrolled through all of them.
Today’s different though. Alcaraz and Sinner have faced each other in the last three Grand Slam finals. That’s the same streak Djokovic and Nadal once had, but there’s a big difference now.
Nobody else is even close to threatening these two.
Ben Shelton is probably the most likely American to win a Grand Slam down the road. Jack Draper’s got talent. Alexander Zverev’s still hanging around the top level.
But let’s be honest – none of them are anywhere near Alcaraz or Sinner right now. And those two are only going to get better.
That means they’re going to keep splitting the biggest prize money between themselves. More wins equals more cash, and they’re set up to win a lot.
The money’s gotten way better since 2015
Here’s where it gets really interesting. Prize money has exploded over the past decade.
Ten years ago, Djokovic earned £1.88 million for winning Wimbledon. The total prize pool was £26.76 million, and organizers actually had to defend that amount after people complained it was too much.
Well, they didn’t listen to the critics. This year, Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek each got £3 million for their Wimbledon wins. That’s almost double what Djokovic made.
The US Open’s even more dramatic. Djokovic collected $3.3 million in 2015. Alcaraz took home $5 million this year.
The Australian Open and French Open have bumped up their payouts too. Same goes for most Masters 1000 tournaments.
It’s pretty incredible that Djokovic’s record is still standing despite all this prize money inflation. Shows you just how dominant that 2015 season really was.
The timing doesn’t help Djokovic much now though. He’s not winning as many tournaments at 38, so he can’t take advantage of these bigger purses like he could’ve a decade ago.
Saudi Arabia’s changing everything
Back in 2015, Djokovic stuck to the regular ATP schedule. He didn’t mess around with exhibition matches – just focused on the official tournaments.
That’s not really an option anymore, mainly because of Saudi Arabia. The Six Kings Slam in Riyadh guarantees $6 million to the winner. That’s serious money for what’s essentially a glorified exhibition.
And it’s just the beginning. Saudi Arabia’s getting a Masters 1000 tournament, probably starting in 2028. The country wasn’t involved in tennis at all during Djokovic’s record-breaking 2015.
Djokovic has played in both Six Kings Slam events, but that money doesn’t count toward official ATP prize money rankings. He might be retired by the time the new Masters event starts up.
We don’t know what the Saudi Masters will pay yet, but considering how much money they’re throwing around in tennis and other sports, it’s going to be massive.
Between the higher prize money at traditional tournaments and these new Saudi events, Alcaraz and Sinner have way more opportunities to rack up earnings than Djokovic ever did.
The record’s been safe for almost a decade now. But with these two young stars dominating and the money getting better every year, it feels like it’s only a matter of time before someone breaks through that $21 million barrier.
