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SCMP Sport

Chinese social media users have hit out at the performances of Fan Zhendong’s teammates following 1. FC Saarbrücken TT’s loss to Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga on Monday.
Reigning Olympic table tennis champion Fan won both of his matches – against Alberto Mino and Kristian Karlsson – 3-0.
However, Fan’s dominance was not enough to stop his German club team from losing 3-2.
The team’s fourth defeat of the season means the newly crowned German Cup champions slipped down the table to third place out of 12 teams. Only the top four teams qualify for the play-offs.
Fan’s performance was in stark contrast to team captain Patrick Franziska from Germany, who lost both his singles and doubles match.
Franziska’s doubles partner Eduard Ionescu from Romania also lost his singles match.
Despite the defeat, Saarbrücken heaped praise on Fan.
“Fan Zhendong’s performance was dominant, but unfortunately, we narrowly lost the decisive doubles match, suffering a setback in the play-off race,” the club said on social media.

“Now we’re fully focused on the coming battles with Post SV Mühlhausen and GV Hennebont TT.”
Former world No 1 Fan, who withdrew from the International Table Tennis Federation rankings in December 2024, beat Ecuadorian Mino 11-4, 11-9, 11-5.
Leading by a game but trailing 9-4 in his second match against Karlsson, Fan reeled off seven consecutive points to steal the game. He then went on to win the match 3-0.
After the defeat, Chinese social media users were quick to praise the decorated player from Guangzhou, but there were more comments blaming his teammates.
Team captain Franziska was the focus of some comments, with users suggesting he “didn’t do enough”.
“If the team continues to play like this, it’s not surprising that Saarbrücken won’t win the championship,” one Weibo user said.
“Fan Zhendong was unbeatable in the singles; unfortunately, his teammates couldn’t keep up with the pace,” another commentator added.
“If one player can play in three matches, surely Fan would wish he could go up and fight again,” another Weibo commentator said.
Saarbrücken now face a busy schedule on the road, with an away match in the league against Mühlhausen on Saturday, followed by a trip to France to take on Hennebont in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final a day later.


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ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation)

Chinese social media users hit out at Fan Zhendong’s Saarbrücken teammates after defeat

Chinese social media users have hit out at the performances of Fan Zhendong’s teammates after his German club team’s loss in the Bundesliga. Photo: handout

Despite his team losing, Fan won both of his matches 3-0. Photo: handout

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Finishers at the Standard Chartered Taipei Charity Marathon spotted a glaring typo on their medals. Photo: handout

This year’s Taipei Charity Marathon finishers’ medal compared with last year’s. Photo: handout

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Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong hits a return to Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti during their men’s singles semi-final match at Hong Kong Tennis Open in Hong Kong on January 9, 2026. Photo: AFP

Coleman Wong beat world No 142 Ugo Blanchet in the Australian Open qualifying round. Photo: Hong Kong, China Tennis Association

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Sport

China

Reigning Olympic table tennis champion won both of his matches, but his German club team lost 3-2 to Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga


Reigning Olympic table tennis champion won both of his matches, but his German club team lost 3-2 to Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.


Fan Zhendong

Chinese social media users hit out at Fan Zhendong’s Saarbrücken teammates after defeat

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Reigning Olympic table tennis champion won both of his matches, but his German club team lost 3-2 to Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga

Reigning Olympic table tennis champion won both of his matches, but his German club team lost 3-2 to Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga