In eyes of sponsors, he's still No 1

Perhaps no sportsman alive has elicited such effusive testimonials as Roger Federer in the past few weeks. His poor summer, which included losses to players who would once have struggled to take a set off him, culminated in a fourth-round loss at the US Open. Instead of playing for the title, he became a devoted fan of his Swiss countryman Stanislas Wawrinka, who reached the semi-finals.

Come what may, most consider Federer among the greatest tennis players, with the most grand slam men's singles titles (17) and weeks ranked No1 (302). While Federer's prowess on the court is undisputed, his ability to monetise his career has been light years ahead of any tennis player yet.

Forbes ranks Federer's wealth at US$400 million. He has earned a record US$77 million in career winnings since he turned professional in 1998, but the bulk of his wealth has arisen from a flurry of sponsorships from companies like Rolex, Nike, Gillette, Moet & Chandon and Credit Suisse.

Federer has slid to No6 in the rankings, but he is the second-highest-paid athlete in the world, ahead of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, and just behind Tiger Woods.

While Federer's competition on the court has stiffened, his competition off the court is fading. David Beckham and Michael Schumacher have retired, and Bryant is nearing the end of his career. Lance Armstrong has fallen from grace, and Woods has alienated a good number of fans.

Federer remains the best bet around. Fans have voted him their favourite player on the ATP Tour for 10 straight years. He never had a major injury during a decade in which he ranked among the top three players, meaning that he reached the last stages in most major tournaments, keeping him in front of television viewers and in the news media.