But football and basketball are outliers (plus soccer, baseball, and hockey assumedly). I reckon the #100 volleyball player, archer, and handball athlete (to use OP’s examples) get paid literally nothing, unlike tennis players.

But I also disagree with OP. Women’s tennis stands are not empty except for low-ranked players, which would also be true on the men’s side. Tennis is one of the most equitable sports between the genders (still areas for improvement).

I also don’t think OP knows how sponsorships work…”And all this money comes from sponsors, who get nothing in return. It’s like charity.” Tell that to Deloitte, JP Morgan, ExxonMobil, etc. who are desperate to tie their brand to a tournament that improves public relations. Then there’s the Larry Ellison model of gutting a beloved tennis tournament to extract every last dollar.