“It’s not what I think”: Novak Djokovic drops blunt truth about women’s tennis wealth as WTA rises above other female sports

Novak Djokovic spoke openly about women’s tennis after his latest win at the BNP Paribas Open 2026 in Indian Wells. The Serbian star shared his honest view on how the women’s game has grown and why it stands stronger than many other female sports around the world.

Djokovic spoke about this on Monday, March 9, after beating Aleksandar Kovacevic in the third round. During his post-match press conference, reporters asked him about the growth of tennis over the years. The conversation soon moved toward women’s tennis and how it compares financially with other women’s sports. Djokovic did not hesitate while answering. He said women’s tennis has reached a place that many other sports are still trying to reach.

According to him, the women’s tour has built a strong global presence and offers better financial rewards than most other female sports. His comments came at a time when tennis remains one of the few sports where men and women often receive equal prize money at major tournaments. Novak Djokovic also continues his own campaign at Indian Wells, where the competition is getting tougher with every round.

Novak Djokovic praises women’s tennis success while preparing to face Jack Draper at BNP Paribas Open 2026 Indian Wells

He said the success of the sport is not just his opinion but something that can be clearly seen.Djokovic said, “Well, it’s not what I think. It’s the fact. Women’s tennis has been by far the most successful, I guess, global woman’s sport and also most paid, so it’s great to see that. I’m happy for that, and I’m proud of that. I think it’s in a good place.”His comments highlight how the Women’s Tennis Association tour has grown over the years.

Many of the biggest tournaments in tennis now offer equal prize money to both men and women. Because of this, several WTA stars regularly appear among the highest-paid female athletes in the world.Meanwhile, Djokovic himself remains the highest-earning player in tennis history in terms of prize money. According to official ATP records, he has earned more than 192 million dollars during his career.At Indian Wells this week, the Serbian legend is still chasing another big title.

After receiving a first-round bye, Djokovic had to work hard in his next two matches. He first defeated Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak in three sets in the second round. Then he faced a tough battle against Aleksandar Kovacevic before winning 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 to reach the fourth round.Now the challenge gets even bigger. Djokovic will face defending champion Jack Draper in the fourth round on Wednesday, March 11. The winner of that match will move into the quarterfinals of the tournament.Djokovic is also playing doubles at Indian Wells alongside Stefanos Tsitsipas. The pair are scheduled to play Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot in the second round of the doubles event.As the tournament moves forward, Novak Djokovic continues to chase another major title while also speaking about issues that matter to the sport, including the strong position women’s tennis now holds in the world of sports.