New data has revealed that Sophia Thomalla (lead image) is the highest-earning WAG or HAB (husbands and boyfriends) of this year’s Australian Open, earning up to $15,406 per sponsored social media post.
Research conducted by the multiplayer card game site, World of Card Games, examined the social media profiles of 27 of the most influential WAGs and HABs of the 2024 Australian Open. An influencer marketing calculator was used to establish which star is the most influential on social media and how much they can earn per sponsored post.
- Sophia Thomalla
The German actress and television presenter has reportedly been dating German tennis player Alexander Zverev since 2021, and the loved-up couple are often posting affectionate snaps on social media. With a Instagram following of 1.4 million, Thomalla is able to make up to $15,406 per sponsored post.
- Madalina Ghenea
Hollywood actress and model Madalina Ghenea has the potential to earn up to $14,058 per post and has a 1.3 million strong Instagram following. The Romanian has been with Bulgarian tennis player Grigor Dimitrov since early 2023 and has previously dated Leonardo DiCaprio. One of her most notable films is Youth (2015), where she starred alongside Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel.
- Jelena Djokovic
With a follower count of 686,900, the wife of Novak Djokovic, one of the greatest male tennis players of the Open Era, Jelena can earn up to $8,859 per sponsored post. The childhood sweethearts have two children together. Jelena is the co-founder and CEO of the Novak Djokovic Foundation, which was set up in 2007 to help develop early childhood education projects in Serbia.
- Paige Lorenze
The American influencer and entrepreneur has 549,300 followers and the ability to make up to $7,318 per post. Paige has dated a range of men from Armie Hammer to Morgan Wallen to her current beau, American tennis player Tommy Paul. Her content mainly consists of fashion and lifestyle posts and vlogs, and she created the lifestyle brand Dairy Boy in 2021.
- David Lee
American former professional basketball player David Lee is married to Danish tennis player, Caroline Wozniacki. David has the capacity to make up to $5,585 per sponsored post, and an Instagram following of 388,600. The former NBA player has competed for a variety of prestigious teams, such as the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics.
- Jozy Altidore
The high school sweetheart of American tennis player Sloane Stephens has 249,300 followers on Instagram and can earn up to $4,044 per Instagram post. Professional American soccer player Jozy has previously played in the Premier League for Hull City and Sunderland, and now he plays for American soccer club, New England Revolution.
- Morgan Riddle
Morgan is the social media VIP and influencer girlfriend of the US men’s no.1, Taylor Fritz. She regularly shares details about her life with Taylor on the professional tennis tour and can often be seen supporting him at his matches. Her content has helped her gain 209,000 followers on Instagram, meaning she has the potential to make up to $3,466 per sponsored post.
- Costeen Hatzi
Since becoming the other half of one of the biggest personalities on the tennis scene, Australia’s Nick Kyrgios, Costeen has been able to boost her Instagram following to 179,000. The social media and influencer star frequently posts about her life with Nick and thanks to rise her to fame, she is now able to make up to $3,081 per Instagram post.
- Maria Braccini
Model and social media influencer Maria is the long-term girlfriend of Italian tennis player, Jannik Sinner. The two became an item in 2020 but took a break in 2021. They then resumed their relationship the following year and have been together ever since. Maria has 180,000 followers on Instagram and could potentially earn up to $2,889 for a single post.
- Lili Paul-Roncalli
The Austrian performing artist is the girlfriend of tennis player and environmentalist, Dominic Thiem – a fellow Austrian. Lili is a talented individual herself, having won the German version of Strictly Come Dancing, Let’s Dance, in 2020. She is also the daughter of Germany’s most famous circus master Bernhard Paul, who is the founder and director of the notable Roncalli Circus Theater. Lili often tours Europe with the circus, performing as a contortionist and roller-skating acrobat. She has a 150,200 Instagram following and the capacity to make up to $2,696 per post.
A spokesperson from World of Card Games commented on the findings: “Many are likely to believe that WAGs and HABs have an easy and luxurious life when viewers see them on their TVs watching their partner from the sidelines, clad in designer gear with immaculate hair and make-up. But being a WAG or HAB is tougher than people think. Navigating the demands of a public profile, managing media attention and cultivating their own identities in the shadow of their accomplished spouse can be hard.”
“The partner’s role involves balancing personal life with the demands of a high-profile athletic career, whilst creating a stable and nurturing environment that allows the athlete to focus on their training and matches. That is probably why some of the WAGs or HABs are athletes themselves, as they understand what their partner goes through as a professional athlete.”
