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Federer toppled from tennis earnings topspot

AFP/The Local
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Federer toppled from tennis earnings topspot
Djokovic and Federer at the ATP Tour Finals in November. Photo: Glyn Kirk/AFP

World number one Novak Djokovic surpassed Swiss star Roger Federer as the highest-earning player in ATP Tour history on Sunday after capturing a third consecutive Miami Open crown with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Japan's Kei Nishikori.

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Djokovic's win -- his sixth career victory in Miami to equal Andre Agassi's record -- saw him pocket $1.028 million (902,000 euros), taking him past Federer as the all-time ATP earnings leader with $98,199,548 to the Swiss great's $97,855,881.
   
"It was my best performance of the tournament," the 28-year-old Serbian said. "It came at the right time against a great player."
   
Djokovic's win also took him to a record 28th career ATP Masters title, one better than the old mark he shared with Spain's Rafael Nadal.
   
"The fact I managed to win the most Masters ever is a remarkable achievement I'm very proud of," Djokovic said.
   
Sunday's victory was also Djokovic's 714th career win, moving him to 11th on the all-time list, one more than his coach, German six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker.
   
"I'm grateful and proud of all the achievements," Djokovic said. "To put myself in position to have the records and be in the history books is a great accomplishment ... Hopefully I can make many more records."

Winning four of the past five Grand Slam titles -- making a career total of 11  -- has Djokovic thinking about surpassing Federer's record 17 Slam titles, but it's not a major motivation for the world number one just yet.

"Of course it's in the back of my mind somewhere," Djokovic said. "But I don't have it as a main motivation. Because then things can go a little bit out of control, maybe can present some kind of distraction that I don't need."

Federer pulled out of the Miami Masters with a stomach virus.

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