Rafael Nadal’s Net Worth: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Rafa Nadal, feeling blue after an early exit at Queen’s (Getty)

While Rafael Nadal may have endured a comparatively rough 2015 to-date, “bombing” out of the French Open – a title he’s owned for the best part of a decade – in the Quarter Finals and winning “only” 77% of his matches on clay this year (to put that in some perspective, his win percentage at the French Open was, prior to 2015, a staggering 99%), Rafael Nadal is still one of the game’s most formidable talents and most recognized names.

While he may have only been seeded 10th for this year’s Wimbledon, when it comes to making money Nadal is still up there with the big boys. Here’s how his estimated $100 million net worth breaks down.

1. He’s Won $72.7 million in Prize Money

Nadal with his 9th French Open title (Getty)

Unsurprisingly for a man who has won 66 tour titles, 14 Grand Slam titles and a career Golden Slam (a feat equaled only by Andre Agassi in the men’s game), Rafael Nadal has amassed a tidy sum of prize money since turning pro in 2001. With $72.7 million of tournament loot in the bank, the Spaniard currently sits third on the all-time career prize money list, just behind Novak Djokovic and some way off Roger Federer.

Nadal can, however, lay claim to the richest season in history, raking in $14.6 million in 2013, a year in which he claimed an eighth French Open title, a second US Open win and the ATP Tour Finals. While the 29-year-old from the Balearics might be having a comparatively miserable 2015, he’s still amassed $1.8 million for the year-to-date, putting him eighth on the ATP Tour Money Leaders list.

2. He Earns $28 million a Year From Endorsements

Rafa Nadal, posing with himself (Getty)

Nadal earned around $28 million in 2014 from various endorsements. By far his biggest contract is with Nike, who pay him an estimated $10 million per annum to carry half-a-dozen swooshes upon his person whilst out on the court. The Spaniard signed a 10-year deal with the US sportswear giant in 2008.

Other sponsors include racquet-maker Babolat, Kia Motors, telecommunications firm Telefonica and menswear company Tommy Hilfiger. Prior to signing up with Hilfiger late last year, Nadal was a brand ambassador for Armani underwear, posing in a range of photo shoots wearing nothing but a form-hugging pair of the Italian designer’s smalls.

He inherited the role from Cristiano Ronaldo. Or, should we say, he filled Cristiano’s briefs.

3. He Plays Tennis Wearing an $800,000 Timepiece

Nadal’s $800k Richard Mille watch (Getty)

While every tennis pro worth his or her salt has a watch sponsor, few actually wear their timepieces whilst playing. And fewer still wear quite as expensive a watch as Rafa Nadal.

Ever since 2010, Nadal has played whilst wearing a custom-made Richard Mille watch especially designed to accommodate his two-handed backhand. “In the beginning there was a little bit of transition, we had to work together to adjust everything to my wrist” Nadal told the Wall St Journal.

Made of carbon, titanium and quartz, and with a velcro strap, Nadal’s Richard Mille 27-02 watch comes in at a mere 20 grams and can withstand 5,000 Gs of force. They’re only making 50 of them, and one can be yours for just $800,000.

4. He Takes Care of Business

Either a very large key, or a very small Nadal (Getty)

As with fellow pros Roger Federer and Andy Murray, Nadal ditched his third-party management agency to set up his own management company. Following an enforced break of seven months due to a knee injury in 2012, Nadal left global sports agency IMG in early 2013 to set out on his own with former IMG “handler” Carlos Costa and his father, Sebastian.

The move is estimated to save Nadal around $3.5 million per annum (agencies typically take a 10%-15% cut of earnings), and is possible because his personal brand is so universally known that he no longer needs to promote himself to potential sponsors; they’re already beating a path to his door.

5. He Does Enjoy a Good Yachting Holiday

Nadal sailing on the Med off the Cote d’Azur. Tough. (Getty)

As one would expect of a multi-millionaire, Rafa Nadal loves a good boating holiday in the off-season, with grainy images of his sea-sprayed body and tousled hair often found in the pages of People Magazine or Hello. Says Rafa: “I spend a lot of time on the sea when I’m at home, especially in the summer. I live in front of the sea and the port is three minutes from my home.”

So much does Rafa enjoy life on the high seas that he was spotted late last year shopping with fiancée Xisca Perella for his very own luxury Gin Palace. Whether he’ll be mooring it outside the mansion on his native Majorca, his luxury villa in Porto Cristo or his equally luxurious villa in the Dominican Republic is as yet unknown.