Last weekend Rafael Nadal completed an epic comeback in the final of the Australian Open, winning the 5-and-a-half-hour match and joining home favorite Ashleigh Barty as a 2022 singles champion.
For their efforts, each pocketed $2.875m AUD, equivalent to about $2.06m USD, for a little over 2 week's work (and a lifetime of dedication to tennis of course).
Life's unfair, tennis is worse
Those huge payouts, which often grab the headlines, mask the reality of playing professional tennis for those not fortunate enough to be the best of the best. Data from the male and female tours (ATP and WTA) reveal just how hard it is to make a living.
The 500th highest-earning male tennis player in history has brought in about $1.6m in their career. That sounds like a lot but when you consider the constant travel, coaching and other costs spread over a 10 or even 15-year career, it likely translates into a modest earning, without other income. In the female game that 500th player only won $876k.
By the time you drop out of the top 1000, the numbers get small very quickly. You're the 1500th best ever male player? Congrats on $207k in lifetime earnings. Female? Just $96k.
Good 12 minute video on the topic from the FT, for those interested.
