Swiss tennis legend, Roger Federer has been crowned No 1 on Forbes’ Highest-Paid Athletes list for the first time in his career.
The Federer edged out Cristiano Rinaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar, and LeBron James to take the top spot after he earned a total of $106.3 million over the past 12 months, making him the first tennis player to top Forbes’ world’s 100 highest-paid athletes list.
Federer, who is a 20-time grand slam champion, boasts the best endorsement portfolio in the world of sport, with $100 million (£80.7 million) of his earnings coming off the court.
He leapfrogs football stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to secure top spot. The Juventus and Barcelona superstars, made £84.8 million and £84 million respectively.
Forbes explained that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic triggered salary cuts for Messi and Ronaldo, paving the way for Federer.
“The coronavirus pandemic triggered salary cuts for soccer stars Messi and Ronaldo, clearing the way for a tennis player to rank as the world’s highest-paid athlete for the first time,” said Forbes’ Senior Editor Kurt Badenhausen.
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“Roger Federer is the perfect pitchman for companies, resulting in an unparalleled endorsement portfolio of blue-chip brands worth $100 million a year for the tennis great.”
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Roger Federer is my favorite tennis player. He is the best ever. Give everything to watch him again after the restart of the ATP tournaments.