The World’s Highest-Paid Tennis Players 2026

Injuries temporarily halted the ongoing generational rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, allowing Alexander Zverev to secure a Grand Slam singles title at Roland-Garros in June for the first time since 2023. Despite both young stars being unable to play due to injuries, they remain locked in a battle for financial supremacy.

Alcaraz continues to lead with his off-court earnings, bringing in an estimated $38 million from endorsements, appearances, exhibitions and other business endeavors, surpassing Sinner's estimated $35 million. When including prize money, Sinner edges ahead with a total pretax income of $58 million over the past year, $4 million more than Alcaraz's estimated $53.7 million.

Sinner, currently ranked No. 1 in the ATP Tour's singles rankings, is the fourth player to claim the top spot on Forbes' annual tennis earnings list. His on-court total of $23 million is the highest ever on the Forbes list. Sinner will miss the U.S. Open, creating an opportunity for Zverev, who now earns an estimated $18.7 million over the past year, securing his place among the world's top ten highest-paid tennis players since 2019.

Collectively, the sport's ten highest-paid players earned an estimated $333 million in the past year, up 17% from the previous year. Serena Williams, returning after a four-year layoff, ranks third with an estimated $40.1 million in income, primarily from endorsements and business ventures. Her inclusion raises the list's cutoff to $17.4 million, surpassing Elena Rybakina and ensuring more women than men are in the top ten for the first time in the Forbes tennis ranking's history.

The women's game shows momentum, with Coco Gauff being surpassed by Williams and Aryna Sabalenka, who ranks fourth with an estimated $36.1 million. However, despite men and women's financial progress, a pay gap persists, particularly at smaller events. The WTA Tour aims to align prize money with the men's ATP Tour by next year, and the Cincinnati Open recently awarded equal sums to men's and women's singles champions.

The debate over player pay extends beyond gender, with stars calling for the Grand Slams to allocate a larger share of revenues as prize money. Players' protests have led to prize money increases at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, and the creation of a player council to give athletes greater input into the events.