Top 5 prize money earners of 2024 ATP season ft. Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz
Jannik Sinner was hands down the best player on the tour this season, with Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev close behind him. The Italian and the Spaniard split the four Majors between them, and the three swept six of the nine Masters 1000 tournaments as well.
Top tournaments in tennis are some of the most-watched events during the year. Given their popularity, it is no surprise to see the payout for the same increase with each season. 25 players earned more than $2 million in prize money this year, which is four more compared to last year.
Players who emerge victorious at big tournaments naturally take home the biggest paychecks. On that note, here's a look at the top five earners on the ATP Tour this season:
#5 - Daniil Medvedev ($5.6 million)
While Medvedev didn't win any titles this year, he still raked in a lot of money thanks to a slew of consistent results. He reached his third final at the Australian Open and lost to Jannik Sinner this time. His runner-up finish in Melbourne fetched him $1.1 million, which is roughly 20 percent of his yearly earnings of $5.6 million.
Medvedev secured $530,000 with his quarterfinal finish at the US Open and $325,000 with his run to the final of the Miami Open. He also made $900,000 following his semifinal showing at Wimbledon. While he has earned a significant amount of prize money this year, it is a steep decline from the $11.5 million he made last year.
#4 - Taylor Fritz ($7 million)
A career-best season for Fritz has obviously been financially rewarding for him as well. He advanced to his first Major final at the US Open and lost to Sinner. Along with the runner-up trophy, he also received a check worth $1.8 million. The American went down to the Italian in the final of the ATP Finals as well and received $2.2 million for his efforts.
Fritz also earned around $473,000 for his quarterfinal run at Wimbledon. Semifinal finishes at the Madrid Open and the Shanghai Masters also contributed to his $7 million payday this year. This is the most he has earned in a single season, and he crossed the $20 million mark in career prize money as well.
#3 - Alexander Zverev ($8.9 million)
Zverev had a stellar season, with two titles from four finals and a 69-21 record. He also finished the year ranked No. 2 for the first time in his career. A runner-up finish at the French Open added $1.2 million to his bank account. He earned a total of $2 million by winning the Italian Open and the Shanghai Masters.
A semifinal trip to the ATP Finals fetched Zverev another $1.5 million. His other notable results include semifinal showings at the Miami Open, the Cincinnati Open, and the Australian Open, all of which led to him making $8.9 million this year. This is his career-best season in terms of prize money, and he has set himself up nicely to cross the $50 million mark in career earnings next season.
#2 - Carlos Alcaraz ($9.8 million)
Two Major titles contributed heavily to Alcaraz's yearly earnings of $9.8 million. Winning the French Open and Wimbledon helped him secure $6 million. Defending his Indian Wells title added another $1.5 million to his tally. He made another $700,000 from his appearance at the ATP Finals.
Alcaraz was bidding to make $10 million for the third consecutive season. He earned $10 million in 2022 and $15 million last year. While he fell shy of cracking the $10 million mark this year, he did breach the $30 million mark in career prize money this year, with his total earnings standing at $36 million as of now.
#1 - Jannik Sinner (16.9 million)
Sinner laughed all the way to the bank this year on the heels of a career-best season and one of the very best in the history of the sport. He won eight titles from nine finals, finished the season ranked No. 1, and compiled a 70-6 record for the season.
Sinner took home $4.8 million for winning the recently concluded ATP Finals. He became the first player to win the title without losing a set since Ivan Lendl in 1986. His triumphs at the Australian Open and the US Open fetched him a total of $5.7 million.
The Italian also won the Masters 1000 tournaments in Miami, Cincinnati, and Shanghai and collectively received $3.3 million for his efforts. While his official prize money total stands at $16.9 million, he also received another $6 million as the winner of the Six Kings Slam.
However, earnings from exhibition events aren't included alongside prize money made from ATP tournaments. If that were the case, then he would've smashed Novak Djokovic's record of most prize money earned in a single season, with $21 million in 2015. Nevertheless, Sinner's tally of $16.9 million puts him in second place for now.