Swiss tennis star Roger Federer has joined the club of the world’s richest athletes, thanks to millions of dollars invested in a shoe brand, placing him among the top eight alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. Federer, who has not played professionally for nearly three years, remains in the headlines as he becomes a billionaire. According to Forbes, the 44-year-old has joined the ten-figure club with a net worth of $1.1 billion (813 million pounds). This wealth is attributed to his significant stake, about 3%, in the Swiss shoe and apparel brand “On,” which he launched in 2019. The company’s shares went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2021 and now have a market value close to $15 billion, with Federer’s shares worth over $375 million. The tennis star’s career spanned 24 years, winning 103 titles and earning nearly $131 million in prize money, alongside approximately $1 billion in pre-tax off-court earnings from multiple endorsement deals.

These include $150 million from Nike over two decades before switching in 2018 to a 10-year, $300 million contract with Japanese brand Uniqlo. Beyond apparel and shoes, Federer has long-term endorsements with Lindt, Mercedes-Benz, Rolex, and Moët & Chandon. Thanks to his off-court income, Federer was the highest-paid tennis player globally for 16 consecutive years and was the highest-paid athlete in 2020 with pre-tax earnings of $106.3 million.