Joining Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan and Floyd Mayweather, Roger Federer is set to become the first tennis billionaire by the end of 2020
It’s no secret that Roger Federer, the 20-time Grand Slam champion, is one of the highest-paid athletes of all time. Forbes reported that Federer’s annual earnings, inclusive of prize money and endorsements, have reached a career-high of US$93.4 million—a big jump from the US$77.2 million he was estimated to have earned in 2018, despite no longer being at the peak of his athletic dominance.
This means the Swiss tennis player will join the exclusive club of billionaire athletes, comprised of only Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan and Floyd Mayweather, making him the first-ever billionaire from the sport.
One of the most marketable athletes in the world and voted the ATP Fan’s Favourite every year since 2003, Federer’s off-court earnings contributes significantly to his growing fortune, including sponsorship deals with Credit Suisse, Mercedes Benz, Rolex, and most recently, the Japanese clothing brand Uniqlo, which is reportedly worth US$30 million annually—roughly US$15-20 million more than what he banks from his contract with Nike.
The 38-year old shows no signs of slowing down, as he recently announced an investment in On, a running shoe brand based in Switzerland from which he plans to build his own shoe line. His on- and off-court earnings, including money received from off-season exhibition tours, are said to be approaching US$900 million, with US$200 million from agreed-upon sponsorships, according to Tennis.com.
Federer’s earning power no doubt reflects his career achievements as a world-class athlete. The soon-to-be billionaire is currently in Melbourne getting ready for the first Grand Slam event of the year—the 2020 Australian Open.