by Wade Townsend 

The top ten highest paid athletes in China have been announced and Zhang Jike has made the list.

Zhang was the second highest earning Chinese athlete of 2016, with only swimmer Sun Yang ahead of him. The Grand Slam winner earned 60 million RMB or about US$8.7 million last year alone; appropriate for one of the most entertaining sportsman in the world.

Millionaire status almost seems a contradiction to the seemingly monastic lifestyle portrayed by professional table tennis players; but there are many perks to little ole ping pong. Don’t be fooled by the wooden paddles and plastic balls, there’s diamonds and gold to be found out there on the court, and Zhang Jike is making bank.

Do Zhang Jike’s earnings surprise you? How much do you think the other top table tennis players are making? Do you think Ma Long should be worth more? Leave a comment below telling us what you think.