Fan Zhendong cements legacy at National Games after completing ‘super grand slam’

Long regarded as a legend of the game, Fan Zhendong stands as one of the most decorated and well-rounded players in table tennis history, yet he has not stopped exploring his limits. Following his gold medal success in the National Games men’s singles, Fan will be back in action on Thursday in the team final. With Xu Xin by his side, Fan will be up against world No 1 Wang Chuqin and another legend of the game, Ma Long. Fan is aware of the challenges – rhythm, focus, coordination and adaptation – when moving from individual to team events. “Today, the switch to the team event mindset was a bit slow … How to launch the attack and better enter the match during the process is excellent experience and learning for myself,” he said after the team group stage. Playing at the top level and adapting his game to meet the gruelling demands of elite table tennis is something Fan is more than used to. Born in 1997, Fan was affectionately dubbed by mainland media and fans as “Little Fatty” in his youth because of his build and explosive power. It was clear from a young age that he had a special talent and it was not long before Fan started dominating the junior and then professional international circuits. And it was only a matter of time before the Chinese table tennis national team came knocking. Despite being only 15, Fan joined the national team in 2012, adding to expectations and boosting his fame. Those expectations were exceeded earlier in the National Games when Fan joined a prestigious list of players by completing the “super grand slam” after his dominant victory in the men’s singles final. The super slam is a uniquely Chinese honour and has been achieved by only a few athletes who have won the Olympics, World Championships and World Cup, along with key continental and domestic titles. Fan’s comprehensive 4-1 victory against Lin Shidong was the final domestic piece that cemented his legacy as the undisputed king of Chinese table tennis, in China and internationally. He joins a small list of champions, including the legendary Ma. Speaking after his victory against Zhou Yu of Hebei in the round of 32 last week, Fan expressed a sense of deep honour for the opportunity to witness and take part in the multi-sports event held in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau this year. “To be able to participate in this Greater Bay Area National Games and witness such an important historical moment, I feel very honoured as an athlete,” he said. Throughout the Games, Fan has frequently discussed the importance of focus and finding his rhythm, highlighting the importance of a good start after his first match against Yu. “The first game was crucial; winning it gave me more room to adjust,” he said post-match. “Overall, in the first two games, I struggled a bit to find my rhythm, but I played more freely later on.” In the round of 16 against Xue Fei, Fan lost a game despite holding a substantial lead, a situation he admitted taught him a valuable lesson. “While leading by a large margin, I took things for granted a bit, thinking I could just cruise to victory,” he said. “But the opponent truly unleashed strong energy when falling behind. The best-of-seven format allows for one or two mistakes of this kind.” He noted that after losing the fourth game, he quickly recalibrated his mindset. “I made an effort to focus on the fifth game and mobilise more actively,” he said, showing the ability to accept errors and reset quickly. In the high-stakes semi-final clash against Wang, Fan once again emphasised the need for concentration. “Facing a high-level opponent, every small lapse in concentration can change the course of the match. “Playing a few good points doesn’t mean you win the match, so I constantly remind myself to stay focused.” In the final, facing the aggressive challenge of the younger Lin, Fan’s victory was hard fought. He admitted post-match that his mindset was unstable in the first two games until he managed to reverse the deficit from 9-4 down in the first game, creating space for better play. Reflecting on the victory and his self-evaluation, Fan concluded: “I think I did a decent job. “I met significant difficulties in stages during every match, but I believe that the attitude and determination to face the match and yearn for victory have not wavered.” He specifically acknowledged his opponent, noting that Lin’s overall ability was “already very strong”, creating significant threats. It may be that Lin will one day take Fan’s crown as the king of the sport, but that would happen only with a similar level of dedication and resilience taken by “Little Fatty” to heights rarely achieved by others.

Fan Zhendong cements legacy at National Games after completing ‘super grand slam’

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Table tennis legend in action again on Thursday in men’s teams final against world No 1 Wang Chuqin and Ma Long

Table tennis legend in action again on Thursday in men’s teams final against world No 1 Wang Chuqin and Ma Long