Nadal joins '$100m club' after winning 11th French Open
Tuesday, 12 June 2018
CAPE TOWN, June 11 (Agencies): Rafael Nadal's 11th French Open victory on Sunday saw him break the $100 million barrier in career prize money.
The world No 1's straight-sets victory over Austria's Dominic Thiem was his 17th Grand Slam crown, trailing only Roger Federer's 20-major tally.
Nadal's career earnings are now at $100.5m.
He is third on the all-time list, behind Switzerland's Federer ($116.2m) and Serbia's Novak Djokovic ($110.9m).
By contrast, the top earning female player is American Serena Williams with $84.8m. Her sister Venus is second on the all-time list with $40.5m and Russia's Maria Sharapova third with $37.9m.
Earlier, Rafael Nadal claimed an 11th French Open title on Sunday with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 demolition of Dominic Thiem despite a worrying injury scare in the closing stages of the final.
The 32-year-old world number one now has 17 Grand Slam titles, just three behind great rival Roger Federer.
Nadal endured a nervy conclusion to the final, however, when he needed treatment in the fourth game of the third set for a finger injury before sealing victory on a fifth match point.