Tennis
ROGER FEDERER IS FORBES’ RICHEST SPORTS PERSON
Swiss’ Roger Federer is the first tennis player to top Forbes’ list of sports big-earners since it was created in 1990
The Swiss, who will turn 39 in August, never seems to stop and he has come out on top again on Friday when he made history in a new way.
The Swiss maestro ranked No. 1 in the 2020 Forbes magazine list of highest-paid global athletes, leading the line-up for the first time with pre-tax earnings of US$106.3 million (S$150 million).
He is the first tennis player atop the annual list since it was created in 1990, rising from fifth last year and his previous highest ranking of No. 2 in 2013.
His haul over the past 12 months included US$100 million from appearance fees and lucrative endorsement deals, plus US$6.3 million in prize money.
Only 15-time golf Major champion Tiger Woods, who has a record 12 first-place rankings, has joined Federer in earning US$100 million in sponsor deals in a single year.
“Roger Federer is the perfect pitchman for companies, resulting in an unparalleled endorsement portfolio of blue-chip brands worth US$100 million a year for the tennis great,” said Forbes’ senior editor Kurt Badenhausen.
Federer’s endorsement portfolio includes 13 brands with the likes of Barilla, Moet & Chandon and Rimowa paying between US$3 million and US$30 million to link him with their brands.
In 2018, he signed a 10-year blockbuster deal with Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo that would potentially pay him US$300 million over the duration. Other big names like Rolex, Credit Suisse, Mercedes-Benz and Wilson have remained on board for over a decade.
“His brand is pristine, which is why those that can afford to align with him clamour to do so,” University of Southern California sports business professor David Carter told Forbes.
For the 22 years since he turned professional, Federer’s career achievements have been the hallmark of legends.
He holds the record for the most Grand Slam men’s singles titles (20) and the most weeks ranked at world No. 1 (310). He has also ranked in the top three for 750 consecutive weeks – nearly 15 years – and he had qualified for 18 out of 19 Slam finals from 2005 to 2010.
And with three Slams in the past three years in his late 30s, it was hardly surprising that he broke another record on Friday.
But, amid the coronavirus pandemic that shut down sports worldwide, the Forbes list – which calculated the total income of the world’s 100 top-paid athletes – saw a 9 per cent dip from last year to US$3.6 billion, the first decline since 2016.
Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo was second on the list at US$105 million, US$60 million in salary and US$45 million from endorsements, with Argentinian Lionel Messi – last year’s top earner – third on US$104 million, US$32 million of that from sponsorship deals.
Messi and Ronaldo, who have traded the top spot three of the past four years, saw their combined incomes dip US$28 million from last year due to salary cuts when European clubs halted play in March.
Woods was eighth on the list and top among golfers at US$62.3 million, all but US$2.3 million from sponsor deals.
Among Federer’s rivals, world No. 1 Novak Djokovic came in at No. 23 with US$44.6 million (US$32 million from endorsements), while Rafael Nadal ranked not far behind at No. 27 with US$40 million (US$26 million from endorsements).
The top 100 featured athletes from 21 nations and 10 sports.
More NBA players made the list than those from any other sport at 35, but 31 NFL players made the cut, up from 19 from last year.
Two women, tennis stars Naomi Osaka of Japan and Serena Williams of the United States, made the list, the most females on it since 2016.
Osaka ranked 29th on US$37.4 million (US$34 million from endorsements), four spots ahead of Williams (US$36 million, US$32 million from endorsements).
AFP, Reuters
FORBES’ TOP 10 HIGHEST-PAID ATHLETES
- Roger Federer (tennis) US$106.3 million (S$150 million)
- Cristiano Ronaldo (football) US$105 million
- Lionel Messi (football) US$104 million
- Neymar (football) US$95.5 million
- LeBron James (basketball) US$88.2 million
- Stephen Curry (basketball) US$74.4 million
- Kevin Durant (basketball) US$63.9 million
- Tiger Woods (golf) US$62.3 million
- Kirk Cousins (American football) US$60.5 million
- Carson Wentz (American football) US$59.1 million
HOW MANY FROM EACH SPORT
- Basketball 35
- American football 31
- Football 14
- Tennis 6
- Boxing and mixed martial arts 4
- Golf 3
- Motor racing 1
- Baseball and cricket 1
Argentina’s 36-year-old Marco Trungelliti proved tennis dreams do not come with an expiration date when he became the oldest first-time tour-level finalist in the Open Era after beating the top seed at the Grand Prix Hassan II semi-finals in Marrakech on Saturday.
Trungelliti, who came through the tournament’s qualifiers, upset Italy’s defending champion Luciano Darderi 6-4 7-6(2) to break the previous record held by Victor Estrella Burgos of the Dominican Republic, who reached his first final aged 34 years in 2015.
Darderi, ranked 19 in the world, was only six-years-old when Trungelliti turned pro in 2008. With the victory, Trungelliti secured just his second career top-20 win.
“Of course, I believed it, that’s one of the reasons that I’m here. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be possible,” Trungelliti said in the on-court interview.
“I’ve worked a lot, me and my team and also my wife, my kid. We all believed in breaking the record basically and that’s exactly what we have done now.”
The milestone caps a remarkable journey for Trungelliti, who made his first ATP Tour semi-final in 2018 in Umag, Croatia – 402 weeks ago.
Having entered the tournament ranked 117 in the world, Trungelliti’s breakthrough week has already guaranteed he will crack the top 100 for the first time. He is currently ranked number 75 in the live rankings.
“It’s been happening the whole week, leaving the court with a victory,” added Trungelliti, who has dropped only one set at the tournament. “So hopefully (there) is one more to go.”
He will face Rafael Jodar on Sunday after the Spaniard prevented an all-Argentine final with a 6-2 6-1 victory over Camilo Ugo Carabelli.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Serena Williams has been listed as eligible to return to tennis by the sport’s drug-testing body (ITIA) as of February 22, though it remains unclear whether the 23-time Grand Slam champion will make a stunning comeback to the women’s tour.
The 44-year-old raised eyebrows late last year after rejoining the tennis anti-doping testing pool, though she denied at the time the move signalled she was preparing to return to the sport she dominated for nearly two decades.
She reignited speculation last month when she deflected questions about a possible return during an appearance on NBC’s “Today” show.
The Women’s Tennis Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside normal business hours.
Williams, who won her last Grand Slam singles title in 2017, has not competed since the 2022 U.S. Open.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Serena Williams has re-entered the tennis anti-doping testing pool but the 23-times Grand Slam champion denied on Tuesday that the move had anything to do with her making a return to the sport she dominated for nearly two decades.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency confirmed to Reuters that Williams, who has not competed since the 2022 U.S. Open, was among the list of players in its testing pool, which requires individuals to provide their whereabouts at any given time, every day, and participate in random testing
But as the story of 44-year-old Williams’ inclusion on the list, first reported earlier on Tuesday by The Athletic, gained traction and sparked talk about her potential return, the tennis great took to social media to deny a comeback was in her plans.
“Omg yall I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy,” Williams wrote on X.
Her agent did not immediately respond to an email from Reuters asking why the player had re-entered the testing pool.
Williams’ name appears on the ITIA website’s list of retired players and would be able to return to a sanctioned event after making herself available for out-of-competition testing for at least six months.
Last week former world number one Williams posted a series of photos on Instagram showing herself on a tennis court with her youngest daughter, Adira River, whom she gave birth to in August 2023.
In August 2022, ahead of her final U.S. Open, Williams announced in a Vogue article that she was “evolving away from tennis.”
Williams, who won her last Grand Slam singles title in 2017, had been chasing an elusive 24th crown that would have drawn her level with Australian Margaret Court, who holds the record.
The American came tantalisingly close to achieving that feat, featuring in four major finals since giving birth to her first daughter, Olympia, in 2017.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
‘Most Oppressed Team’: Iran Set for FIFA Showdown Over Travel Rules
Canada Crush Qatar 6-0 as Jonathan David Hat-Trick Sparks Historic World Cup Win
Ahead of Morocco Match: Scotland’s Supporters, ‘Thirsty’ Tartan Army Drinks Boston Bars to the Brink
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SANUSI CHARGES NIGERIAN COACHES TO BE UPRIGHT, DILIGENT
- World Cup4 days ago
Back in Canada After 39 Years: A Return to Where the Journey Began
- World Cup4 days ago
Doku Faces World Cup-or-Fatherhood Dilemma as Belgium Star Awaits First Child
- World Cup6 days ago
Atlas Lions Roar Again: Morocco Hold Five-Time Champions, Brazil In Another World Cup Statement
- World Cup4 days ago
Tunisia Become Second African Casualty as Sweden Hit Five in World Cup Rout
- World Cup4 days ago
Salah Eyes Birthday Gift as Egypt Seek Historic World Cup Breakthrough Against Belgium
- World Cup6 days ago
Ghana Protests Canada’s Visa Denial to Thomas Partey Ahead of World Cup Clash
- World Cup1 week ago
World Cup, America’s 250th Independence Anniversary Set Stage for Historic Summer
- World Cup5 days ago
Advocaat Set to Make World Cup History as Curaçao Face Germany