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Mike Chan

Chinese table tennis fans have urged their national team to recall Fan Zhendong and put him back on the international stage after the Olympic champion returned to action in sizzling form this week.
At the opening leg of the new China Table Tennis Super League (CTTSL) season, which concluded in Hebei on Wednesday, Fan won all seven of his singles ties, including beating world No 1 Lin Shidong 3-2.
A Weibo hashtag praising Fan – who does not have a world ranking – for beating the top-ranked player subsequently went viral.
“Ten months without international appearances and six without any matches, yet still could beat the world No 1 – Fan is still the king,” one person said.
Another said: “No matches in 160 days, who knows how much effort he put in to maintain this level of competitiveness.”


Other comments included one saying “the national team needed Fan” and another that said “it was a great loss for the table tennis world” to not have Fan playing in international competitions.
Fan, together with Chen Meng and Ma Long, withdrew from the International Table Tennis Federation rankings last December after the world governing body said it would fine players who skipped international tournaments to play in other events.
Fan has not played in any official international tournaments since then but had appeared sparingly in national championships and the CTTSL after his Olympic triumph last year.
Of Fan’s seven wins in Hebei, four – against Lin as well as Lin Gaoyuan, Xue Fei and Huang Youzheng – came against players who had just competed at the recent ITTF World Table Tennis Championships in Doha.
Fan, who was playing for Shanghai Zhongxing, said he experienced “some body aches” after the first day of action on Tuesday, but the 28-year-old continued to deliver.
“The Super League is very competitive, and I was eager to test myself,” the Guangzhou native said. “I think I’m slowly adjusting, or lowering my feelings or expectations.
“I am working hard bit by bit, and I think I’m doing pretty well.”
World No 2 Wang Chuqin was one who praised his former national teammate.
“Fan’s current condition is too good, and no one dares to say they have the confidence to beat him,” the 25-year-old from Jilin City said.
“His skills, mentality and experience have reached a very high level, and he is an example for all of us to learn from.”

Despite remaining undefeated throughout the three-day leg, Fan could not prevent his team from losing two of their five matches. Shanghai finished joint third with three other teams: Huangshi, Sichuan and Anhui Zhongcheng.
A potential blockbuster tie between Fan and world champion Wang, who plays for reigning champions Shandong Weiqiao, did not take place after the latter was rested on Wednesday after suffering from hypoglycaemia in a previous match.
“I didn’t have much in reserve physically but was still competing all out,” said Wang, who had to replenish himself with sports drinks and chocolate. Wang said he had not trained systematically beforehand and his technical ability had declined, “but I still face the game with a positive attitude”.
With six wins in as many matches in Hebei, Shandong top the nine-team table with 12 points, three ahead of second-placed Shantou Mingrun.
The second leg will run from July 25 to 28 in Xiamen, Fujian, and Fan is expected to feature again before he leaves for Germany to play for 1. FC Saarbrücken in the Table Tennis Bundesliga in late August.


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Calls to rush Fan Zhendong back into China table tennis team after perfect showing

Fan Zhendong serves against Lin Shidong at the China Table Tennis Super League event in Hebei. Photo: Xinhua

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Olympic champion ends long absence with impressive results at opening leg of China Table Tennis Super League


Olympic champion ends long absence with impressive results at opening leg of China Table Tennis Super League.


Fan Zhendong

Wang Chuqin

Ma Long

Chen Meng

Calls to rush Fan Zhendong back into China table tennis team after perfect showing

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Olympic champion ends long absence with impressive results at opening leg of China Table Tennis Super League

Olympic champion ends long absence with impressive results at opening leg of China Table Tennis Super League