Pusarla Venkata Sindhu Highlights Badminton Earnings Gap With Tennis

AnSe-young claimed 11 international titles last year and banked $1,003,175 in prize money, setting a single-season earnings record for badminton.

Yet that historic haul sits in stark contrast to tennis purses, where a single early-round exit can net a player more than $100,000.

The stark disparity in earnings between racket sports drew public attention after two-time Olympic medalist Pusarla Venkata Sindhu highlighted the financial hurdles facing tour athletes, according to a report by the Times of India on Oct. 4. Sindhu pointed out that recent international stops left several Indian badminton players struggling to cover basic expenses.

Athletes traveling to four international tournaments in Finland, Denmark, France, and Germany faced severe financial strain after anticipated funding from the Sports Authority of India failed to materialize, the Times of India reported. Some competitors had to pay out of pocket for flights and accommodation or rely entirely on private donations, forcing certain prospects to skip events or compete without coaches.

Sindhu used her social media platform to contrast the prize money available in professional tennis against the payouts in elite badminton. “You lose in the first round of Wimbledon and you get £80,000,” Sindhu wrote on social media, as cited by the Times of India. “You win the China Open, one of the biggest badminton tournaments with a Super 1000 status, and you get $140,000.”

The Indian singles star emphasized that a first-round exit at the same premier badminton event yields a mere $2,000. While tennis competitors routinely secure six-figure payouts simply for stepping onto the court at major tournaments, badminton players must capture the crown at a top-tier event to earn a comparable sum.

Sindhu acknowledged her own fortunate position regarding corporate sponsorship agreements but questioned the sustainability of the current tour model for rising competitors. “How does an 18-year-old wanting to chase a dream do it?” Sindhu asked in her social media post, according to the Times of India report.

An Se-young’s record-breaking 2024 season highlights the earnings ceiling for the absolute elite in badminton. Beyond her $1,003,175 in tournament winnings, the South Korean singles star signed a four-year commercial sponsorship agreement with Yonex worth approximately 10 billion won, translating to about 2.5 billion won annually.

When combining her corporate endorsements with a salary and performance bonuses from her corporate team, Samsung Life Insurance, domestic sports industry estimates place An’s total annual income around $4 million. However, that figure remains a fraction of what top tennis professionals command.

American tennis star Coco Gauff earned $33 million last year through prize money and commercial partnerships, claiming the top spot among female athletes globally, according to industry reports. That total reaches roughly eight times the estimated annual income of badminton’s top earner.

Athletes in individual sports manage vastly different operational overheads depending on their discipline. Professional tennis players frequently self-fund extensive travel rosters, which include hiring dedicated personal coaches, physios, and hitting partners.

An Se-young benefits from structured support systems provided by her corporate team and the national governing body, alleviating some direct tour expenses. Even so, Sindhu argued that the broader financial ecosystem in badminton requires urgent reform to prevent rising talents from abandoning their athletic ambitions due to prohibitive travel and training costs.