Rafael Nadal, the Spanish tennis legend who won 22 grand slam titles over the course of his career, on Thursday announced he will retire from professional tennis next month.
Nadal turned pro at age 15, in 2001. The 38-year-old will hang up his racquet at the end of 2024, marking the close of a 23-year run on the ATP Tour.
The trophies Nadal has taken home have come with hefty payouts, as well. In addition, he’s signed a number of lucrative sponsorship deals as one of the best athletes of all time.
Additionally, according to Forbes, Nadal can command event appearance fees that surpass $1 million.
Here’s how much prize money Nadal has won, as well as the value of his sponsorship deals over the years and estimated net worth.
Prize money
Nadal’s 92 pro-tournament titles plus other victories have earned the left-handed Spaniard a total of nearly $135 million in prize money across both singles and doubles matches, according to the ATP Tour.
Nadal won 1,080 matches, and lost just 227, according to the organization. And because professional tennis players receive payouts not simply for wins but based on how far in a tournament draw they advance, he took home prize money even when he wasn’t crowned champion.
Nadal’s been hamstrung by injuries in recent years, forcing him to bow out of some competitions. Still, to-date in 2024, he’s earned $301,661 in prize money, according to the ATP Tour.
Brand partnerships
In 2024, Nadal was the sixth-highest paid tennis player, raking in $23.3 million, according to a ranking by Forbes. His “off-court” earnings made up the bulk of his income, accounting for $20 million.
As one of the biggest draws in tennis, Nadal has longstanding deals with a number of brands. He’s been sponsored by automobile maker Kia for 20 years, and in 2023 signed a deal to be a brand ambassador for IT company Infosys.
He’s also sponsored by watchmaker Richard Mille, and has long been wearing the brand’s timepieces — which run anywhere from six-figures into the millions — while playing tennis. “The watch is now like a second skin for me,” Nadal said, according to Richard Mille’s website.
This year, Nadal teamed up with rival Roger Federer for a “Core Values” campaign for luxury fashion brand Louis Vuitton.
Nadal has also signed on to be an ambassador for the Saudi Arabian Tennis Federation, despite criticisms that the country is using sports to cover up its controversial record on human rights and equality issues. According to Forbes, Nadal is believed to earn seven figures annually through the partnership.
Nadal also signed on with Nike early on, and has been wearing Nike footwear and apparel on the court since the beginning of his career. Nike has not revealed the value of its partnership with Nadal, though according to Yahoo Sports, the sportswear giant paid him roughly $10 million in bonuses in those years he achieved the top ranking in the world.
