Fan Zhendong wins first overseas table tennis club title with 1. FC Saarbrücken in German Cup
The Olympic gold medallist wins all four of his singles matches, is named MVP and receives adulation from his teammates
Chinese table tennis star Fan Zhendong won his first overseas club title on Sunday, guiding 1. FC Saarbrücken to victory in the German Cup.
Olympic gold medallist Fan won all four of his singles matches in six hours and claimed the MVP award in front of 5,200 spectators in Neu-Ulm.
After coming back from behind to eliminate reigning champions TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen 3-1 in the semi-finals earlier in the day, Saarbrücken beat TTC RhonSprudel Fulda-Maberzell in the final with an identical score to clinch their first German Cup since 2022.
“I am very happy and excited [as] I won the title with my team today,” Fan said in English at the post-match press conference. “This is my first time playing the cup final; it’s a special moment in my career.
“So I hope in the future I can play this tournament again. Today I am really happy; I will enjoy this moment.”
With Fan in the team, Saarbrücken are enjoying a strong season. The club are currently second in the league and are in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, a competition they won in 2023.