Lin Dan (林丹)

   Sport: badminton

  2011 earning: US$2.3 million

2010 ranking: 5

Lin Dan, born in 1983, is China's most successful badminton player. Described as "Super Dan" by his fans, Lin has completed the "Super Grand Slam" at the age of 27, having won all nine major titles in the badminton world, including the Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, Thomas Cup, Sudirman Cup, Super Series Masters Finals, All England Open, Asian Games and Asia Championships.

In 2011, although Lin began the year with a withdrawal in the Malaysia Open's quarterfinals because of waist injury, he was still winners of the year's Korea Open, German Open, Asian Championships, Sudirman Cup, and the World Championships.