Jannik Sinner could be kept away for only so long.
After missing the final at the first two Grand Slams of 2026, the 24-year-old Italian advanced to the Wimbledon final after defeating Novak Djokovic in straight sets Friday. Sinner avenged a loss to Djokovic at the Australian Open semifinals earlier this year and denied the 39-year-old his best shot at a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam.
Sinner will have a chance to win his second consecutive Wimbledon title Sunday, which would come with a $4.8 million (£3.6 million) prize, the largest Grand Slam payout of his career. He won $4 million (£3 million) for winning Wimbledon last year and $3.6 million as the champion of the 2024 US Open.
He has won larger prizes at the last two ATP Finals, winning $4.88 million in 2024 and $5.07 million last year. (He also won $6 million from the Netflix Six Kings Slam last year, but that exhibition tournament isn’t recorded in career earnings.)
In Sinner’s way is world No. 3 Alexander Zverev, who is fresh off winning his first Grand Slam at Roland-Garros in June. Zverev’s title was helped by Carlos Alcaraz’s absence and Sinner’s upset loss in the second round. He defeated hometown favorite Arthur Fery on Friday, ending the 23-year-old’s fairy-tale run from the qualifiers.
The German star was the No. 2 seed at Wimbledon because Alcaraz missed his second consecutive Grand Slam due to injury.
Before Zverev’s French Open triumph, Sinner and Alcaraz had split the last nine Grand Slams dating back to the 2024 Australian Open. Add Djokovic to the list, and no other player had won a Grand Slam since the now-retired Rafael Nadal at the 2022 French Open.
The winner of Sunday’s final will also take the No. 4 spot on the all-time ATP career earnings list.
Zverev claimed the fourth spot after winning $3.27 million (€2.8 million) at Roland-Garros, jumping past Alcaraz, Sinner, and tennis legend Andy Murray with $66 million in career earnings.
The gap between Zverev at No. 4 and Sinner at No. 6 is less than $1.2 million. The 2026 Wimbledon winner will take home that $4.8 million (£3.6 million), while the runner-up will win $2.4 million (£1.8 million), a $2.4 million gap.
Regardless of Sunday’s result, both players will leave the All England Lawn Tennis Club in the top five of career earners, ahead of Alcaraz. It’s unclear when Alcaraz will return.
