The 10 Highest Paid Table Tennis Players

At first glance, table tennis might not seem like it pays that well, at least when it’s compared to other professional sports, such as golf or football, for example. However, quite a few skilled players have made a lucrative career out of professional table tennis events. Below you will find the ten highest-earning table tennis players of 2021.

Wang Hao

Wang Hao won the Table Tennis World Cup in 2007, 2008, and 2010. He held the record for the most appearances in major world finals. He was ranked first on the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) official world rankings for over two years, from 2007 to 2009.

Wang kicks off our top 10 with a reported net worth of approximately $1.5 million, which appears to be more than enough income for him. Though he still plays as a professional, Wang retired from China’s national table tennis team in 2014.

Zhang Jike

After beating three Olympic champions on his way to the fastest career Grand Slam in the history of table tennis, it’s safe to say that Zhang Jike deserves a spot on this list, and a net worth of around $4 million certainly doesn’t hurt either.

Zhang was the fourth player to win a Grand Slam, winning the World Table Tennis Championship (WTTC) and the World Cup in 2011, and then a gold medal at the London Olympics in 2012.

Fan Zhendong

Currently ranked as the world’s best player by the ITTF, Fan Zhendong is also the world’s youngest table tennis champion. After joining China’s national team in 2012, the prolific greenhorn won the ITTF World Tour and the WTTC.

Thanks to a number of brand deals and a hefty social media following, Fan is worth an estimated $5 million. However, with little to no public information on his net income, that number could quickly rise in the near future.

Liu Guoliang

Considered by many as one of the greatest players, Liu Guoliang is a retired player who won every major title in global tournaments. His net worth is somewhere in the region of $5 million, but, like Fan Zhendong, this is more of a ballpark figure than anything else.

We know for sure that Liu’s career trajectory didn’t trend downward when he retired, and instead, his coaching career has allowed him to reach a greater level of success. As a testament to this fact, Liu is now the Chinese Table Tennis Association president.

Timo Boll

A three-time world No. 1, Timo Boll is easily one of Europe’s best players. According to multiple sources, Boll is worth about $7 million. He currently plays for Borussia Dortmund, the team that won the most championships in all competitions.

Despite a recurring back injury plaguing his career, Boll was able to win the European Championship in singles, doubles, and team competitions, on multiple occasions. In total, the German-born professional has won the European Championship a record eight times.

Jan-Ove Waldner

Jan-Ove Waldner is known by many as ‘the Mozart of table tennis. Born in Sweden and now retired from professional play, Waldner still holds significant influence in the world of table tennis, thanks to one of the longest and most illustrious careers in the history of the sport.

The Swedish ex-professional is the only player to win an Olympic table tennis gold medal for a non-Asian country. Worth approximately $10 million in earnings, sponsorship deals, and brand promotions, it’s evident that Wagner is as skilled at business as he is at table tennis.

Jean-Michel Saive

With a 35-year career under his belt, Jean-Michel Saive is one of table tennis’ most renowned players. By the time he was 50, Save had competed in seven consecutive Olympic Games, and he also won the singles event at the European Championship in 1994.

Based on tentative estimations by financial experts, Saive is worth approx. $15 million. This figure takes his current assets into account, but there’s, unfortunately, no way to verify the accuracy of these estimations at this point.

Chen Jing

At 51 years old, Chen Jing is the only female player who has cracked our list. After winning a bronze medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, she retired from international competitions.

From her first gold medal for China in 1987 to her defection to Taiwan in 1991, Jing’s career has had its fair share of ups and downs. Reports of her net worth average out at $18 million, making her one of the wealthiest female sports professionals in the world.

Wang Liqin

Many table tennis fans would argue that Wang Liqin is the greatest professional player in existence. Considering his extensive list of achievements, medals, and trophies, those fans certainly have a strong argument on their side.

Although he is now retired from professional competitions, Wang started his career relatively young, playing in the Chinese Table Tennis League at 15. Worth around $20 million in total, he is the second-most wealthiest table tennis player alive today.

Ma Long

Easily the most famous Chinese player globally, Ma Long had a meteoric start to his career, winning three out of four World Cup championships between 2007 and 2010. He holds several world records, including being the first player to win a career Double Grand Slam.

If we consider all possible avenues of income, Ma’s net worth is roughly $20 million. However, as is the case with most of the players on our list, without any public record of his finances, it’s impossible to gain an accurate figure.

These outstanding table tennis players not only wrote legends with their rackets but also inspired countless fans. Perhaps one of them is your table tennis idol, so why not customize a table tennis commemorative coin for them? 

You can design Custom Challenge Coins by including your favorite player elements, table tennis designs, and motivational texts. Such personalized commemorative challenge coins are not only a tribute to your favorite players, but also the inheritance and promotion of the table tennis spirit.  

Such custom commemorative coins hold great significance, whether they are given to relatives and friends or kept as a collection for oneself.

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