Novak Djokovic missed the opportunity to become the first tennis player to surpass $200 million in career prize money after his early exit from the 2026 US Open. The Serbian star entered the tournament with approximately $194.7 million in ATP Tour prize money, meaning another deep run in New York could have moved him much closer to the historic milestone. With the 2026 US Open offering its largest prize pool in tournament history, Djokovic had a significant financial opportunity alongside his pursuit of another Grand Slam title. Djokovic’s campaign ended in the first round when he suffered a five set defeat to Argentina’s Mariano Navone after an almost five hour battle. The loss was particularly surprising because Djokovic had not lost a first round match at a Grand Slam tournament since the 2006 Australian Open.
It also ended his hopes of continuing his pursuit of a record extending 25th men’s singles Grand Slam title. Despite the disappointing result, Djokovic still earned $140,000 for reaching the US Open main draw, as every player eliminated in the first round receives that amount. The financial stakes at this year’s tournament were higher than ever. The US Open announced a total player compensation package of $108 million, representing a 20 percent increase from 2025. The men’s and women’s singles champions are each set to receive $5.5 million, while the runners up will earn $2.8 million. Prize money increases substantially with every round, meaning Djokovic would have needed to advance deep into the tournament to make a serious push toward the $200 million career mark.
Despite missing the milestone, Djokovic remains comfortably the highest earning player in men’s tennis history. His career ATP Tour prize money is well ahead of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, and his long list of Grand Slam victories and major tournament successes has made him one of the sport’s most commercially successful athletes as well. The latest US Open defeat therefore cost Djokovic both a chance at another major title and an opportunity to move closer to a financial record that appeared within reach before the tournament began.
