Roger Federer is that one name in the game of tennis that embodies greatness like no other.
From the moment he turned pro in 1998 and became the youngest man to enter the ATP top 100, he was destined for the very top. Federer made the biggest headline in 2001 when the then-19-year-old Swiss defeated then-world number one Pete Sampras in five sets in the fourth round of Wimbledon.
What followed were years of unprecedented success that saw him dominate in the Grand Slams, starting with his first triumph at Wimbledon in 2003 against Mark Philippoussis. He would add 19 more Grand Slams along with a total of 103 titles on the ATP Tour. All these put him at the top of the men’s rankings for a record 237 consecutive weeks and 310 weeks in total.
Federer’s longevity in the game has been admired owing to his strong fitness levels for the bulk of his career but the ageing process started to show as he was frequently hampered by injuries from 2013 onwards. Even at that, Federer still had the drive and won more titles at the Austrian Open and Wimbledon in 2017 and 2018. From 2020, it was evident his body couldn’t take it anymore, in retaliation he participated in fewer tournaments and spent more time rehabilitating from surgeries he needed to correct his injuries. He ultimately called it a day on his illustrious career after featuring at the Laver Cup in September 2022.
Before then, he made an official announcement which he described as a “bittersweet decision”.
“As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries,” Federer said in a social media post.
“I’ve worked hard to return to full competitive form. But I also know my body’s capacities, and limits and its message to me lately have been clear”.
“I am 41 years old. I have played more than 1500 matches over 24 years. Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career.
Federer teamed up with his long- time rival Rafael Nadal in the Laver Cup doubles but lost to the Team World pairing of American duo Frances Tiafoe and Jack. It still did not deter what was an emotionally-charged atmosphere that had even Nadal moved to tears as he would not be playing against the man has the edge over in career meetings 24-16 anymore.
As much as Nadal and Novak Djokovic have surpassed Federer in Grand Slams and ATP 1000 Masters wins, these two men are not on the same pedestal with Federer when it comes to popularity and finances. Federer was able to draw crowds everywhere he played across the globe. He was the player most fans looked forward to seeing evidenced by him winning the ATP Fan’s Favourite award from 2003-2021. His absence in any tournament at the peak of his power was a blow to potential revenue generation for the tournament organisers.
That was the kind of power Federer commanded.
That power meant that Federer was able to earn a lot of wealth that no one on the tennis court could command, and very few in sport generally. While Federer earned $130 million from his career winnings which are only bettered by Djokovic ($159 million) and Nadal ($131 million). However off the court, the Swiss maestro is miles ahead. Federer has a personal net worth of $550 million according to Celebrity Net Worth. He still has endorsement deals with top global brands that include Nike, Gillette, Rolex, Credit Suisse, Mercedes-Benz and Uniqlo. He also owns investments in real estate and private equity. He owns shares in some emerging companies such as On Holding, a Zurich-based shoe company, and NotCo’s, a Chilean FoodTech company that focuses on producing plant-based food alternatives to reduce the effects of Climate Change. All these have seen Federer rake in more than $1 billion in earnings as an athlete, joining an exclusive elite list of billionaire athletes that was pioneered by one of the greatest athletes of all time, Michael Jeffery Jordan.
The 59-year-old basketball legend was the first athlete to cross the billion-dollar mark in 2014, thanks to a rise in the value of NBA franchise Charlotte Hornets, which he purchased in 2010 for $175 million. During his career, Jordan was the hottest property in the NBA, his 12-year association with the Chicago Bulls yielded unimaginable success, with two 3-peats and their charismatic style of play making basketball more appealing globally. He had a partnership with Nike in 1984 that saw the success of the Air Jordan sneakers, spiking Nike’s valuation in the process. It also led to Jordan having his own sports apparel with his name which Nike have produced since inception in 1997. Jordan’s name has produced more than $1.3 billion in earnings for Nike and his personal net worth standing at $1.6 billion.
Jordan’s financial success spilled to other sports with top sports brands investing heavily in other prominent sports. In football, Nike and Adidas tied lifetime contracts with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi respectively, two of the most followed and loved players in the game. The fomer has been on Nike’s books since 2003 and signed a lifetime deal worth $1 billion in 2016, earning $88 million from that deal alone that year. Messi, meanwhile signed a lifetime deal with German sports giant Adidas the following year also worth a billion dollars and guaranteeing him a minimum $25 million a year.
In Basketball, other greats that have followed Jordan’s footsteps to mammoth wealth include Steph Curry and LeBron James. Golden State Warriors icon, Curry, is currently on a $215 million deal with American sportswear giants Under Armour. It has been running since 2013 and will end in 2024. However the deal is expected to be renewed soon and will be worth more than a nine-figure sum. For LeBron, he signed a lifetime deal with Nike in 2015 worth billions as well as raking in a reported $30 million annually.
In Golf, Tiger Woods is largely considered to be the driving factor of the sport’s commercial boom. Albeit the twilight of his career being tainted by scandal and personality problems, Nike remained with him since his original deal in 1996. Unlike LeBron, Woods does not have a lifetime contract with Nike but has had his deal renewed multiple times which has seen him earn over $300 million from the sportswear giant. He is also a member of billionaire’s club, with a personal net worth at an estimated $1.1 billion.
Men are not the only ones making fortunes from big endorsements, with female athletes also empowering their net worth via the same means. In tennis, Serena Williams is the most successful player in the Open era with 23 Grand Slams and 73 career titles. She signed a deal with Nike worth $40 million in 2004, which rose to $55 million. While Serena is now away from the sport after 27 years, Naomi Osaka is a rising star who has used her early success to land lucrative deals, including the aforementioned Nike, with a deal worth $10 million a year and an overall endorsement take home of $53 million in 2022, this despite being out of form and notably not playing much tennis after struggles with injuries and her mental health.
Other notable athletes with enormous wealth include 7-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton, who earns almost $60 million annually just driving for Mercedes. He earns an additional $12 million yearly from endorsements. American boxer Floyd Mayweather is another notable mention. His fights are among some of the highest-grossing in the past decade that have racked in more than a billion dollars for the sport. It has also reflected in his overall earnings of $1.2 billion. Unlike other athletes who earn more from endorsements, Mayweather has earned more from his fights which can land him more than $100 million in appearance fees alongside other bonuses.
Now that Federer is retired, he is set to earn more than even active athletes. Indeed, since 2021 when he was inactive on the tennis court, Federer still took home $90 million, which was more than any active athlete earned. This is partly due to a mega $300 million 10-year deal Federer signed with Japanese sports kit manufacturer Uniqlo in 2018. This was larger than his previous deal with Nike, which was just half the sum for more than two decades.
It’s worth mentioning that Djokovic had previously been tied to Uniqlo, but only for a six-year period and the figures of the deal didn’t come close to what Federer is taking home now, perhaps due to the fact he was still far behind the Swiss and Nadal at that time. Even though the Serb is more prominent now, he’s simply not on par with Federer’s prominence and that in itself speaks volumes about Federer’s greatness. He might not have the record career titles anymore, but Federer will likely remain a bigger figure, which will reflect in his earnings. It also serves as a testament to his global appeal, which stems from his gentleman-like character on and off the court, with hardly a whiff of controversy throughout his career. That’s greatness unmatched that will stand the test of time.
Serena, reacting to Federer’s retirement claimed he was the ultimate greatest player in the game.
“I have honestly had a crush on Roger ever since he won Wimbledon in 2003,” the American said.
“I can’t believe he is retiring. He will always be the ultimate GOAT in my eyes. Roger, if you are watching this, I love you.”
That couldn’t be any better truth than that.
