Supporters certain Fan Zhendong ‘will be back’ after losses in German table tennis league
Chinese Olympic champion suffers two defeats with his Bundesliga team, but teammates, fans adamant he will adapt and return to form
The “real” Fan Zhendong will be back, said his new teammates, after the Chinese table tennis superstar lost both of his matches on his Bundesliga debut on Sunday.
Playing for 1. FC Saarbrücken for the first time, Olympic champion Fan was the top-ranked player for his team when they hosted TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt at the Joachim-Deckarm Halle sports complex.
The former world No 1, who is currently not ranked after withdrawing from International Table Tennis Federation events last December, lost 3-2 to France’s Romain Ruiz in the opening match of the tie and then suffered a 3-1 defeat to Germany’s Benedikt Duda in the fourth match.
“He told me he needs to adapt his game, because it’s totally different from in China,” said Slovenian ace teammate Darko Jokic, who beat Adrien Rassenfosse 3-0 to secure the only point for his team as Saarbrücken lost the season opener 3-1 at home.
“The tables, the balls, the players are different. But we have many more matches and I’m sure the ‘real Fan Zhendong’ will be back.”
Before making his debut in Germany, Fan won 13 straight matches in the Chinese Table Tennis Super League playing for Shanghai Zhongxing.
During his winning streak, the 28-year-old from Guangzhou had beaten current world No 1 Lin Shidong twice, while also gaining the upper hand over current national team members Lin Gaoyuan, Xue Fei and Huang Youzheng, who had all just competed at the recent ITTF World Table Tennis Championships in Doha in May.
Despite these unexpected defeats, Chinese fans remain supportive. Many note Fan had not played internationally in more than a year, having last appeared when he won the men’s singles gold at the Paris Games last August.
Amid the most common “We believe in Fan Zhendong” comments, some social media users praised the decorated player for his courage to compete in overseas leagues.
“Fan Zhendong is pioneering a path that no one has ever walked on; it’s bound to be full of thorns and mud,” said one Weibo user. “We want to win but are not afraid of losing.
“We always have the courage to face failure. See you next weekend.”
Another commentator said: “He embarked on a new journey and stood alone in a new field after achieving huge success.
“Just taking this step requires great courage and bravery. All greatness comes from every brave beginning. Dare to win and not be afraid of losing. Be firm and confident. See you at the next field, Fan Zhendong!”
Coleman Wong eyes Davis Cup success with Hong Kong after US Open heroics, rankings rise
The 21-year-old lands back in Hong Kong on Monday and immediately turns attention to World Group II encounter with Uzbekistan
Coleman Wong Chak-lam returned to Hong Kong on Monday with the adulation of fans at the US Open still ringing in his ears, and said he hoped to build on his momentum for the city’s Davis Cup clash with Uzbekistan this month.
As he was in New York, Wong and his teammates will be underdogs against their seeded opponents, but the 21-year-old, who has jumped 27 places to No 146 in the world on the back of his performance, said he had learned plenty of lessons from his historic run at Flushing Meadows.
Defeat in the third round to Andrey Rublev, the world No 15, marked a series of firsts for Wong, not least of which was his first experience of going a full five sets. The 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 defeat took a gruelling three hours and 10 minutes on the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre’s Grandstand court.
“I learned how to handle everything on the court, physically and tactically, because [Rublev] was like playing only in the first set when he was in the decider; it looked as if it was nothing for him, but I was really tired,” said Wong, who landed with his parents at Hong Kong International Airport just after 4.30am and was greeted by his sister, Elana, and around 30 members of the media.
“It’s my first grand slam. The atmosphere was just different, as were the things I needed to do every day. I looked around the dressing room and there was Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, there was a lot of them I used to watch only on television. I’d used to think the difference [with them] was so big, but you won’t know it until you keep playing on.”
The first Hongkonger, man or woman, to reach the third round of a grand slam, Wong battled through three qualifying rounds to reach the main draw, and then beat world No 71 Aleksandar Kovacevic and world No 85 Adam Walton before coming up against Rublev.
Despite coming up short against Rublev, he said the experience had been “a confidence booster”.
A two-time junior grand slam men’s doubles winner, Wong did not believe his performance in the senior event meant there was any extra pressure to perform in the coming tournaments, or to claim a first title on the Challenger Tour.
“Yes, I reached the third round of the US Open, but this is only just one of the tournaments,” he said. “I am getting closer to my target of breaking into the top 100 now.
“I have faith in myself, especially after I beat two top 100 players last week and played a five-setter with the world No 15. I know where my strength is; I just need to believe in myself.
“I am happy to reach the third round because it proved I didn’t waste any of my hard work. It was such an affirmation. I was so close to reaching the fourth round. I know I am capable of that and I am proud of myself, too.”
Hong Kong tennis chief Michael Cheng Ming-git, who greeted Wong on his return, also hailed the “historic achievement and proud moment” for Hong Kong.
“This is what we have long been waiting for, a local hero making a name for Hong Kong, proud of his roots and appreciative of the support he receives,” the president of the Hong Kong, China Tennis Association said.
While Hong Kong are unseeded for the Davis Cup World Group II encounter at Victoria Park Tennis Stadium, their opponents are ranked fifth, and Wong said as the city’s top player he hoped his experience was “going to help us win”.
“Whether it’s the doubles or the singles, I hope to do better,” he said. “I know my teammates have been practising hard, so I hope more people will come and support us.”
