Name: Zhang Jike
Date of birth: 16 February 1988
Place of birth: Qingdao
Nationality: Chinese
Height: 1.78 cm
Major achievements
World Champion Men's Singles 2011
World Champion Men's Singles 2013
Olympic Champion 2012
World Cup Winner 2011
World Cup Winner 2014
Zhang Jike
A huge coup: superstar Zhang Jike now belongs to the DONIC family
This man is a living legend and therefore in the right place with DONIC. China's superstar Zhang Jike is the new brand ambassador for the traditional German company, which has already had some of the greatest table tennis players in history as partners for decades, including the Swedish icons Jan-Ove Waldner, Jörgen Persson and Michael Appelgren.
Zhang Jike, the 2011 and 2013 Men’s Singles World Champion, 2012 Olympic Champion and 2011 and 2014 World Cup Winner, is now also one of only four players in table tennis history who have achieved the Grand Slam of Olympic, World Cup and Men’s Singles World Championship titles – and this in the record time of just 445 days. However, Zhang Jike has not only been famous for his outstanding skills.
His enormous athleticism, his smooth moves but above all his coolness have made him one of the most vibrant personalities in international table tennis sports. The way he lived out his emotions in the box, even after great wins, remains unforgettable. In 2011, after winning his first World Championship title in men's singles, he tore his shirt in the box like Superman changing his clothes. In 2014, after his victory at the World Cup, he kicked over a surrounding – the wild boy, who was temporarily suspended by China's head coach Liu Guoliang for his teenaged escapades, always remained good for surprises later on. In the meantime he has also had tremendous success in China as a pop singer.
Although the nearly 36-year-old ended his active sporting career a few years ago, his enormous experience, fantastic ball control and huge fan base, which still adores him particularly in China, make Zhang Jike a great asset for the global brand DONIC. “He will be able to support us significantly in blade development,” says product manager Steffen Fetzner, ”and the fans can already look forward to two blades that DONIC will soon be producing with him together.”
In his home country, Zhang Jike has recently opened a table tennis centre, but fans all over the world can be looking forward to the cool star who has been so many things, but never boring.
