Roger Federer becomes a billionaire athlete, Joins elite list

New York: Tennis legend Roger Federer has joined an exclusive club of seven athletes worldwide to achieve billionaire status, according to a recent report by Forbes. The Swiss star’s estimated net worth is now approximately $1.1 billion.

Federer, who retired in 2022, has maintained a high income through lucrative endorsements and business deals both during and after his career. He earned close to $1 billion from off-court ventures and sponsorships, with his stake in a Swiss shoe and sportswear brand significantly contributing to his wealth.

For 16 consecutive years, Federer was the highest-paid tennis player in the world, despite rivals like Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal surpassing him in prize money. In 2020, he topped all global athletes by earning $106.3 million.

Federer is the second tennis player to become a billionaire, following Romanian athlete Ion Țiriac, who made his fortune through investments after winning the French Open doubles title in 1970. The list of billionaire athletes also includes basketball legends Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, LeBron James, and Junior Bridgeman, along with golf great Tiger Woods.

While his off-court earnings are staggering, Federer’s on-court achievements are what made him a global icon. He won 103 ATP Tour singles titles, the second-most in the Open Era. His collection of titles includes a record 20 Grand Slam singles titles, which were a men’s record at the time of his retirement.

Federer’s Grand Slam titles include:

• Wimbledon: 8 titles (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2017)
• Australian Open: 6 titles (2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017, 2018)
• US Open: 5 titles (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
• French Open: 1 title (2009)

He also holds the record for most consecutive weeks as the world’s No. 1 player, at 237 weeks.

The Forbes report also highlighted the current financial landscape of tennis. This year’s highest-earning active tennis player is Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, who earned $48.3 million over the last 12 months.

Among women, American star Coco Gauff ranked third overall, with $37.2 million in earnings over the past year, making her the highest-paid female athlete in the world. According to Forbes, this marks the first time that the top three highest-paid tennis players are all under 30 years old.

Overall, the top 10 tennis stars collectively earned $285 million, a 16% increase from last year but still below the record of $343 million set in 2020.