Forbes has released the list of highest-paid tennis players of 2023, and Novak Djokovic emerges first in the list, with a total of $38.4 million. Despite being 18 years younger than the Serb, Carlos Alcaraz is only second to him in earnings, though he holds the dominance in the ranking. Among the females, Iga Swiatek is the highest-paid and stuck to number one both on and off the court. But in the list, the Pole occupied third place, next to the Spaniard. This has kickstarted an intense discussion about one of the most important issues in the world of sports currently: the gender pay gap.

The difference in the pay of ATP’s and WTA’s first seed is enough for people to consider that achievements are not the only thing that guarantees pay.

Iga Swiatek placed behind top ATP seeds despite her remarkable feats

The WTA No. 1 holds 4 Grand Slams and defended her French Open title this year, dropping only a set in the whole tournament. She also became the 9th player to spend 70 consecutive weeks as a WTA No. 1. The Pole also achieved the feat of playing 100 matches as a World Number One, a feat that is yet to be achieved by the young Spaniard.

But in terms of earnings, the 22-year-old could not match the ATP’s 1st seed. According to Forbes, Carlos Alcaraz earned $31.4 million. The WTA’s 1st seed stands third in the list, with a combined on and off-court earnings of $22.4 million. Interestingly, there are 5 ATP and 5 WTA players in the Top 10, but WTA players are far behind their ATP counterparts.

Swiatek and Alcaraz are only two years apart, and the WTA’s top seed has more career titles than the ATP World No.1. The $9 million difference is proof that there is a lot to be done to bridge the gender pay gap in tennis. However, the brands that the top seeds endorse also hugely differ in their net worth and brand value, which explains the difference in pay.

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Carlos Alcaraz endorses more luxurious brands than Swiatek

Swiatek is at the peak of her career, but she has yet to cash in lucrative deals that align with her talent and position. The Pole is the brand ambassador of the American talent management agency IMG, Oshee Isotonic drinks, and Roger Federer backed On athletic brand, to name a few. The Pole earns $14 million through her endorsements, which is $6 million less than the Spaniard.

Alcaraz endorses world-famous luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Rolex, BMW Spanish division, and Calvin Klein, to name a few. His off-court earnings are around $20 million, which is more than Rafael Nadal‘s. The on-court pay of the youngest ATP 1st seed is also more than the Pole’s. The Spaniard earns $11.4 million, while Swiatek earns $8.4 million.

WTA’s treasure, Swiatek, is certainly hard done by when it comes to getting rewarded for her performances in the WTA 1000 and 500 events. Do you think, for the hard work she puts in, the Pole deserves equal pay, along with the other WTA professionals?

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