Roger Federer hasn’t played tennis professionally for almost three years, but the tennis legend continues to make headlines.
The Swiss superstar, arguably the greatest male tennis player in history, now has another accolade to his ever-growing list: being a billionaire.
According to Forbes, the 44-year-old has joined the 10-figure club with a net worth of $1.1billion (£813million).
The publication attribute that wealth to his significant minority stake, estimated at three per cent, in Swiss shoe and apparel brand On.
On went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2021 and now has a market capitalisation of nearly $15bn (£11.1bn), with Federer’s equity worth more than $375m (£277.3m).
On’s roster of tennis stars include six-time grand slam winner Iga Swiatek, men’s world No 6 Ben Shelton and teenage prodigy Joao Fonseca.
Roger Federer has plenty to be cheerful about after becoming a billionaire recently
As a player, the icon earned nearly $131m (£97m) in prize money during a stellar 24-year career
Federer’s monetary growth has come from his investment in Swiss shoe and apparel brand On – with the roster of athletes wearing it including Iga Swiatek and Ben Shelton
During his playing days, where he won 103 tournaments over a 24-year career, Federer earned nearly $131m (£97m) in prize money and made around $1bn (£739m) in pre-tax off-court earnings via multiple sponsorship deals.
The feat for Federer means he joins the rarefied air of becoming only the seventh athlete to become a billionaire.
Fellow former tennis player Ion Tiriac ($2.7bn – £2bn) became the first to hit 10-monetary figures in 2007 when he began investing in real estate, car dealerships and financial services.
Basketball icon Michael Jordan followed seven years later with the six-time NBA champion now estimated to be worth $3.8bn (£2.8bn).
His 1992 Olympic gold-medal winning team-mate Magic Johnson is worth an estimated $1.5bn (£1.1bn).
Basketball continues to dominate the list with Junior Bridgeman ($1.4bn – £1bn), who died in March, and LeBron James ($1.2bn – £887m) completing the quartet from that sport.
Golfing great Tiger Woods ($1.3bn – £961m) rounds out the six athletes before Federer’s arrival.
James and Woods are are the only athletes to have joined the Billionaire club while still active in their sports.
