Is the 36-year-old Serbian star tennis’ GOAT? It’s close, but his victory at Roland-Garros gives him another smashing point in the debate against Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
Novak Djokovic with the French Open trophy after he beat Casper Ruud on Sunday.
Clive Mason/Getty Images
Novak Djokovic has no equal—at least when it comes to his number of Grand Slam singles titles.
The 36-year-old Serbian ace claimed his 23rd major on Sunday with a 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-5 victory over Casper Ruud in the French Open final, breaking a tie with his longtime rival Rafael Nadal for the men’s record. Across all of tennis, Djokovic now trails only Margaret Court, who won 24 women’s titles in the 1960s and ’70s, and he is level with Serena Williams.
So is Djokovic tennis’ greatest of all-time? Here’s a look at the numbers behind his incredible career, and how he stacks up against Nadal and Roger Federer.
$170 million: Djokovic’s career prize money after he picked up the French Open’s $2.5 million winner’s check on Sunday.
That is tennis’ best mark by a substantial margin, ahead of Nadal’s $135 million, Federer’s $131 million and fourth-place Andy Murray’s $64 million (as well as Williams’ $95 million, tops on the women’s side). Djokovic also set the ATP Tour’s single-season prize-money record with $21.6 million in 2015; he is at an ATP-best $5.1 million this year.
$340 million (AU$740 million): Djokovic’s career earnings off the court, from endorsements, appearances, licensing and memorabilia income, including more than $20 million over the last 12 months, according to Forbes estimates (which do not deduct for taxes or agents’ fees).
That puts him in range of Nadal’s estimated $390 million, but they are both blown away by Federer, who had piled up more than $990 million by the time he announced his retirement in September 2022. Federer is one of just seven athletes to have made at least $1 billion in total earnings while still active in their sports.
3: Djokovic’s number of French Open titles (2016, 2021 and 2023). Only two players in tennis’ open era, starting in 1968, have more: Nadal, with 14, and Björn Borg, with six in the 1970s and ’80s. The latest triumph also makes Djokovic—with ten Australian Open titles, seven at Wimbledon and three at the U.S. Open—the only men’s player to have won each of the four majors at least three times. Federer was victorious at Roland-Garros just once, in 2009, and Nadal has claimed only two titles at both the Australian Open and the U.S. Open. Meanwhile, Andre Agassi is the only other men’s player to have won all four majors even once during tennis’ open era.
36: Djokovic’s age. More precisely, he is 36 years 20 days old, making him the oldest champion in the history of the French Open. Nadal had set the mark last year at 36 years 2 days.
This article was first published on forbes.com and all figures are in USD.
