Highest-paid athletes at the Australian Open 2026: Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka lead | International Sports News
The Australian Open is one of the biggest tennis events every year. It takes place in Melbourne, Australia and brings top tennis players from around the world. The 2026 Australian Open has a record prize pool of A$111.5 million (about $75 million USD) for all players to share. The players earn money from the tournament wins, career prize money and big sponsor deals. This year, some of the richest and most famous tennis stars are fighting hard for big prize money and big fame.
Record prize money at the 2026 Australian Open
The 2026 Australian Open has a huge prize money pot of A$111.5 million total. This is the biggest prize pool in the tournament’s history. Both the men’s and women’s singles winners will take home A$4.15 million (about $2.79 million USD) each. Players who lose in the first round still get A$150,000 (about $100,950 USD), which is much more than before. Every round has bigger pay than last year because tournament bosses raised the money to help players.
Top money earners in tennis now
When we look at the top paid tennis players in the world, Carlos Alcaraz of Spain is one of the richest. He earned over $60 million in career prize money from tournaments alone, more than most players his age. He also gets a lot of money from sponsors and deals off the court. Italian star Jannik Sinner is another big earner. He has made over $50 million in career prize money and also earns well from brands and appearances. On the women’s side, Aryna Sabalenka has made over $42 million in career earnings from tournaments and many big sponsors. Other top earners include Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff, who also make millions from tennis wins and big brand deals off the court.
Big moments and prize drama at the Australian Open
This year, before the main singles started, there was a big surprise at a side event called the One Point Slam. It was part of the Australian Open lead-in events. Australian player Jordan Smith, an amateur coach, won $1 million after beating top pros including Jannik Sinner in that event. Fans were shocked and happy for him. The money at the Australian Open now helps players from all levels. Top stars get paid tons from wins and sponsors. New players get money even when they lose early so they can pay travel and training costs. Tennis bosses and players still talk about raising money and even sharing more with players in the future.
