Coco Gauff and Novak Djokovic are highest most marketable tennis stars in 2024

Coco Gauff and Novak Djokovic have once again emerged as the top tennis players on SportsPro’s annual list of the 50 Most Marketable Athletes. This year, Gauff ranks 13th, while Djokovic comes in at 18th, reversing their positions from last year when Djokovic was 11th and Gauff 12th.

A total of eight tennis stars made the 2024 edition, showcasing both the sport’s established legends and rising stars. Carlos Alcaraz, ranked 29th, and Rafael Nadal at 34th, follow closely behind. Other players on the list include Aryna Sabalenka (38), Jannik Sinner (47), Naomi Osaka (48), and Iga Swiatek (50). Sinner and Swiatek are making their first appearances on the prestigious list this year.

Djokovic and Nadal, representing the sport’s veterans, feature alongside younger stars who have embraced social media to build their marketability. Notably, this year marks the second consecutive edition without any tennis player in the top 10—a trend last seen in 2017 and 2023.

Simone Biles, the American gymnast, tops the 2024 list, becoming the first woman to hold the No. 1 spot twice after also leading in 2021. Biles is followed by Brazilian footballer Vinicius Junior and basketball icon LeBron James. Lionel Messi, who was No. 1 last year, slipped to fifth place.

Since the list’s inception in 2010, 320 athletes have featured in the top 50, with football dominating as the most-represented sport. Lewis Hamilton holds the record for the most appearances, having been included 14 times.

Tennis stars have previously enjoyed success on the list. Naomi Osaka was ranked 6th in 2022 and topped the chart in 2019, while Eugenie Bouchard held the No. 1 spot in 2015. However, 2024 marks another year where no tennis player breaks into the top 10, highlighting the changing landscape of athlete marketability.