Novak Djokovic is long past measuring his career in financial terms, yet the player who leads the men’s prize money standings may still reach a notable milestone in the coming weeks.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion has earned $194,656,816 in career prize money. That total reflects a career defined by extraordinary success, including more weeks at No 1 than any other player and more ATP Masters 1000 titles than anyone else.

Behind him on the all-time earnings list are Rafael Nadal on $134,946,100 and Roger Federer on $130,594,339. Those figures are expected to keep rising across the sport as prize money continues to increase, and the US Open is set to announce a larger top prize after last year’s record $5m award to the men’s and women’s champions in New York.

For the moment, though, Djokovic remains the earnings leader, and he has a realistic chance to become the first player in tennis history to pass $200m in prize money if his next few weeks on US hard courts go well.

He will be among the favourites at the Cincinnati Masters after world No 1 Jannik Sinner and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz withdrew because of injury. A title there would bring him $1,151,380. If he then went on to win the US Open a couple of weeks later, he would move beyond the $200m mark.

Djokovic’s income has not come only from competition. Long-running sponsorship arrangements with Head, Lacoste, Asics and other companies have added substantially to his wealth.

When asked about money in an interview with Piers Morgan last year, Djokovic said it has never been his main motivation.

“You know, we live in a very materialistic society these days. It’s nothing against you but I am not like that,” he stated in the interview.

“I don’t want to give all the information about what I am worth and what my investments are, it’s none of their business. Why should I disclose that? For what reason? There are things that are disclosed like prize money and people know about or contracts, but other things, no.

“Money is important. It’s very important and it does bring security, no doubt about it. It’s one of the driving forces in society today, you cannot neglect the importance of money.

“But if money is the only thing you are thinking about, in my experience as an athlete, for me it’s more of a meritocracy model – if I win a tournament, I get rewarded with sponsorship deals.

“But it’s about the mentality and the brand you want to create around yourself. I don’t like to talk about this but I did refuse a lot of the big brands and big paycheques in my career, because I cannot represent something I do not believe in. I have always tried to play the long game.”

Ben Shelton negotiated a difficult assignment against Joao Fonseca to secure his place in the Canadian Open quarter-finals.

The American remains the highest seed still in the draw and is continuing his attempt to defend the title he won last year, following the first Masters trophy of his career in 2025. He moved through with a 6-3, 7-6 win over Fonseca, which booked a last-eight meeting with Jakub Mensik at the Masters event.

Even with the straight-sets result, Shelton said the contest was far from simple. He felt he had to work through the match in tough conditions and linked that feeling to the nature of the evening. In his Canadian Open press conference, he said: “I think just dealing with the conditions really well. It was super windy. It’s impossible to play clean, pretty tennis with the wind.

“So just problem solve, figure things out. Some bad misses, they’re going to happen on a night like tonight. And just keep coming forward to the net and put the pressure on.”

Shelton’s path to the quarter-finals has also included wins over Jenson Brooksby and Zizou Bergs. That run has left him as the clear favourite in the tournament, but the next hurdle is not an easy one. Mensik has beaten Shelton in their last two meetings, both coming in 2025, at the Madrid Open and the ASB Classic. Shelton’s only win in the rivalry came at Indian Wells in 2024.

If Shelton can get past Mensik, he will meet the winner of Learner Tien and Daniel Merida. Also still alive in the draw are Rafael Jodar, Arthur Fils, Luciano Darderi, and Brandon Nakashima.

Shelton is the only top-10 ATP Tour player left in the event, with Jodar the next highest-ranked player at world No 13. That gives the American a strong opportunity to capture another Masters title, and perhaps arrive at the US Open in ideal form.

With Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner not playing a warm-up event before the US Open this year, the opening week in New York could produce surprises. An American man has not won the US Open since Andy Roddick in 2003, a long drought for the nation.

Jannik Sinner has ended the uncertainty over his Cincinnati Open participation, confirming that a problem in his right knee will keep him out of the Masters 1000 event.

In a statement shared by the tournament, he explained the decision after talks with his medical group and his team.

“After consulting with my doctors and my team, I have to announce that I need to withdraw from the Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati,” he wrote in statement shared by the tournament.

Sinner added that the knee has been an issue for some time and that he is not yet ready to return to competition.

“My right knee has been bothering me, and even though we have been working hard with my medical team, I have to accept that I’m not ready to compete yet.

“I’m very disappointed not to be able to play in Cincinnati and wish Bob [Moran] and his whole team a great and successful event.I can’t wait to be back next year, and I’m now focusing on getting ready for the US Open.”

The withdrawal has naturally prompted concern, but Paolo Bertolucci offered a more reassuring reading of the situation when speaking to Gazzetta.

“The news, which had actually been in the air for a couple of days, of Jannik Sinner’s withdrawal from the Cincinnati Masters 1000 should not, in my opinion, be read as a warning bell about the near future,” said Bertolucci.

He argued that the choice was aimed at protecting the player and helping him arrive at the US Open in the best possible shape, physically and mentally.

Bertolucci also pointed to the impact of the setback at Roland Garros, saying it had changed the way Sinner and his team approach health issues and competitive scheduling. He believes the world No 1’s main priority is now to recover fully before New York.

The Italian also linked Sinner’s decision to the current absence of Carlos Alcaraz, who has been out since April and remains the main threat to Sinner’s No 1 ranking.

Even so, Bertolucci still expects a strong showing at Flushing Meadows, despite the lack of matches before the tournament. He noted that hard courts suit Sinner best and said his preparation in New York should help restore match rhythm.

Sinner has won the US Open once, in 2024, and was runner-up last year after losing the final to Alcaraz.