#9 – Rafael Nadal

Rafael “Rafa” Nadal (born 3rd June, 1986) is a Spanish professional tennis player currently ranked world No. 5. He is widely regarded as possibly the finest clay court player in history as well as one of the best players of all time.

Rafa had a higely successful 2013 season, winning 75 matches and losing just 7 and finished ranked No. 1 in the world. He won two Grand Slams (French Open, U.S. Open) and was runner-up at Australia in January 2014. A 9th French Open victory in June 2014 made him the only male player to win a single Grand Slam tournament nine times and the first to win at least one Grand Slam tournament for ten consecutive years. This feat helped to attract a surge of endorsement earnings totalling $30 million, the biggest of which is Nike.

Total Earnings: $44.5 Million
Salary/winnings: $14.5 Million
Endorsements: $30 Million