ROGER Federer may not have won a Grand Slam title this year, but the 17-time champion topped Forbes magazine's list of the 10 top tennis moneymakers.
ROGER Federer may not have won a Grand Slam title this year, but the 17-time champion topped Forbes magazine's list of the 10 top tennis moneymakers.
The Swiss star, whose mother is South African, earned $56.2-million (about R596-million) for the year to June.
Endorsement deals from brands such as Rolex and Nike brought in the lion's share of that, more than $40-million.
The 33-year-old scooped three titles this year, but nothing in the big league. However, he was the Wimbledon runner-up, dropping the final in five sets to top-ranked Novak Djokovic in a nail-biting match.
Spaniard Rafael Nadal, who won his ninth French Open crown in June, ranked second on the list at $44.5-million - $30-million of it sponsor money.
Serbia's Djokovic was third with $33.1-million.
Highest-ranked woman on the list was Russia's Maria Sharapova, who was also fourth overall, taking home $24.4-million, including $22-million from endorsements.
China's Li Na, who won her second Grand Slam in January at the Australian Open, was fifth at $23.6-million, followed by world No1 Serena Williams, who took out $22-million.
Britain's Andy Murray, whose earnings jumped more than $4-million after he became the first British man to win the Wimbledon crown since 1936 last year, ranked seventh with $19.1-million. Murray's Adidas contract expires this year, and a new deal with Adidas or Nike could raise his total next year.
Victoria Azarenka was eighth at $11.1-million followed by Japan's Kei Nishikori with $11-million and Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki 10th with earnings of $10.8-million. - AFP
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