Brandon Nakashima’s $368,800 jackpot: UTS Rio champion earns more than triple Tsitsipas and Rublev collected for ATP titles
ATPSunday, 19 July 2026 at 22:30
Brandon Nakashima’s Ultimate Tennis Showdown Rio triumph came with a financial reward that surpassed by a significant margin what this week’s ATP champions earned on the traditional tour.
The American secured $368,800 after winning the UTS Rio in Brazil, a figure more than three times higher than the approximately $106,000 received by Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev for their ATP 250 victories in Swiss Open Gstaad and Bastad.
The difference was one of the biggest talking points of the tennis weekend, with players competing across different formats but sharing the same calendar week. While Tsitsipas celebrated his return to the winner’s circle after 16 months and Rublev claimed another ATP title on clay, Nakashima’s success in the UTS format delivered a considerably larger payday.
The 24-year-old American defeated Brazilian teenager Guto Miguel 3-0 in the final (15-14, 17-14, 15-13) to become one of the rare players to win a UTS event on debut. His victory capped a strong turnaround after losing to Miguel earlier in the competition, with Nakashima responding by defeating Nick Kyrgios in the semifinals before dominating the home favourite in the championship match.
Nakashima and Kyrgios among the biggest earners of the week
Nakashima’s prize money was not the only notable figure from UTS Rio. Kyrgios, one of the biggest names in the field, earned $123,000 despite falling in the semifinals, a reward that was still higher than the money collected by the finalists from both ATP 250 tournaments this week.
The Australian defeated João Fonseca in the quarterfinals before losing to Nakashima in the final four, but his presence helped highlight the financial appeal of the alternative format. Francisco Cerúndolo, who also reached the semifinals, received the same $123,000 prize.
Meanwhile, players who did not reach the final stages still earned significant amounts. Fonseca, who exited before the semifinals, collected $119,600, the same amount as Cameron Norrie. Tallon Griekspoor earned $100,400, while Corentin Moutet received $69,200.
The complete UTS Rio prize distribution was:
| Player | Result | Prize money |
| Brandon Nakashima | Champion | $368,800 |
| Guto Miguel | Runner-up | $214,200 |
| Francisco Cerúndolo | Semifinalist | $123,000 |
| Nick Kyrgios | Semifinalist | $123,000 |
| Cameron Norrie | Classification stage | $119,600 |
| João Fonseca | Classification stage | $119,600 |
| Tallon Griekspoor | Classification stage | $100,400 |
| Corentin Moutet | Classification stage | $69,200 |
ATP 250 champions earn far less despite title success
On the ATP Tour, Tsitsipas and Rublev enjoyed important victories but with much smaller financial rewards. The Greek captured his 13th career title at the Swiss Open Gstaad after defeating Raphael Collignon 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-3, earning approximately €93,175 ($106,000).
For Tsitsipas, the title represented an important milestone after a difficult period, as he returned to the winners’ circle for the first time since Dubai 2025. The former world No. 3 survived four consecutive three-set matches during the week, including the final against first-time ATP finalist Collignon.
Rublev also collected around €93,175 ($106,000) after winning the Bastad Open, defeating Luciano Darderi in the final. The Russian secured his first title of the season, while Darderi earned approximately €54,360 ($62,000) as runner-up.
That means Nakashima earned more than triple what Tsitsipas and Rublev collected for lifting ATP trophies, while even Kyrgios’ semifinal run produced a bigger reward than the finalists of the traditional ATP events.
The numbers highlight one of the biggest differences between traditional ATP tournaments and newer tennis formats such as UTS. ATP 250 titles continue to carry significantly more ranking importance and historical value, but alternative competitions have increasingly attempted to attract players by offering competitive prize money and a different entertainment model.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
claps 0visitors 0
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- Hurry on back Carlos! We miss you!!Rapunzel17-07-2026
- Well done to the author of this article!! A meltdown is what Coco experienced at the US Open the year she was chirping at her box, very near to tears, double faults were in great supply and she simply could not get a handle on that match. THAT AP is a meltdown!!Rapunzel12-07-2026
- This sensible approach helped Muchova... and look where she will find herself tomorrow (Wimbledon Final). Iga's wise to escape... especially to Nature and so. The wilderness (forests, lakes, mountains) has been my "Church" and escape from The Noise since I was a kid. She'll do well in the end.
mandoist10-07-2026 - "Like if it was hotter, I probably would have won, I'm not gonna lie." Geezus...mandoist08-07-2026
- This one has totally lost the plot. She is about to cross the racism line in her hatred for Russian people. NEWSFLASH DARLING -- Russian majority of citizens (and your ex-Colleagues whom you shamed) are not who you should be aiming at. Grow up.mandoist08-07-2026
- Why do all these "experts" feel the need to publicly "tell players" what they need to do, or what they're doing wrong?? How about this -- if you're so concerned with a player's situation actually take the time to contact the team in question and talk directly to them. Yapping in public media is rarely, if ever, helpful.mandoist07-07-2026
- Gee... preferential treatment all the way to the end? STOP IT WTA & WIMPLEDON !!! This entire WILLIAMS CHARADE is 100% unfair to young upcoming players who legitimately earned a shot at a Wildcard. The whole scenario with these freebies to The Williams' is pathetic and barely within the rules (which have been bent like a pretzel to accomodate them). The lamest excuse this time is "...she is a top draw". How does that apply to Wimbledon which is sold-out in advance? Stop enabling this abhorrent "Look at me" behavior. If they want to make believe they can compete -- LET THEM PLAY QUAILIFIERS LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.mandoist06-07-2026
- Is it not clear there is a mental issue here? I mean, her judgement is very suspect given her personal life 'experiences'.mandoist06-07-2026
- Are you kidding me with this soft "article"??? WTF?? Djerkovic should be DISQUALIFIED just as anyone else at WimPledon would have been for his behavior!! So what you should be writing about is how the stuffed shirts on Wimpledon's executive board and ATP can no longer hide, nor lie about, their FAVORITISM. We now have seen (and heard) that, as in politics and world of CEO's, "who" you are can afford Elitists the luxury of escaping the usual penalties according to their own bona fide rules/reg's. Not totally surprising coming from organizations which perform special rule-breaking stunts as giving the undeserving, unranked Williams' some young upcoming player's Wildcards. Neither Williams earned these WC's... let them enter via Qualifiers like anyone else!!!mandoist06-07-2026
- Real fans of the sport, that's who.mandoist06-07-2026
Loading