£3.6 million. Plus the gratitude of a Centre Court that has watched him become its undisputed star: for two summers now, Jannik Sinner has been the face of Wimbledon — and one of the defining figures in world tennis. If the 24-year-old from South Tyrol had already secured his place in history, his victory over Alexander Zverev has taken him somewhere else entirely. Into legend. And into the upper reaches of the all-time ATP prize money rankings, with only the three icons of the modern era still ahead of him. The Wimbledon winner’s cheque, worth $4.8 million, has pushed Sinner beyond Carlos Alcaraz and Zverev in the list of the highest-earning players the sport has ever seen. Another milestone. Perhaps less dramatic than a winner struck on the run or an attack at the net, but no less revealing of his stature. Sinner arrives in this particular ranking at an extraordinary age, already carrying thirty professional titles. In financial terms, that translates into $69.5 million in career prize money — the figures are listed in the currency officially used by the ATP. One million more than Zverev, $4.5 million ahead of Alcaraz, whose prolonged absence from the tour through injury has begun to show in the numbers.
Who remains ahead of him? Only the Big Three, of course. Roger Federer retired in 2022 with $130.5 million, while Rafa Nadal followed two years later after reaching $135 million. Novak Djokovic, still competing, leads the way with the extraordinary total of $194 million earned. Vast figures, though perhaps not unreachable for two players as young and precocious as Carlos and Jannik. Sinner’s record in the current season is even more striking: $11.6 million already earned, despite the disappointment of Roland Garros, quickly erased at Wimbledon with a campaign of complete authority. Zverev, who had taken his chance by winning in Paris, has collected $9 million. These figures reflect results, but also the steady growth of the prize pools themselves. Wimbledon, for example, increased the money distributed to players by 20 per cent compared with last year. Another sign of a sport increasingly built around the player as a brand. Between a sequence of victories, high-profile sponsorships and carefully chosen investments, Jannik Sinner’s total wealth — according to an estimate by Corriere della Sera — may have already passed €80 million and is heading towards €100 million. Numbers never seen before in Italian tennis, both on and off the court. The world number one has become a symbol of success in its broadest sense. Wimbledon offered another confirmation: Jannik is riding the wave. He is healthy, he is winning, and he continues to grow in the moments that demand the most from him. The rewards extend far beyond the scoreboard.