Paddling in uncharted waters

Despite the challenges of adapting to a new environment far from home — without his usual team support and while facing a language barrier — China's "Grand Slam" paddler Fan Zhendong has embraced his groundbreaking journey in the Bundesliga with 1. FC Saarbrucken.

His start was a rocky one, suffering a surprising 2-3 defeat to world No 302 Romain Ruiz of France on his debut on Aug 31, followed by a 1-3 loss to Benedikt Duda.

Fan, however, quickly found his form.

The 28-year-old Olympic singles gold medalist and two-time world champion bounced back strongly on Sept 6, securing two 3-1 victories against Filip Zeljko and Andre Bertelsmeier to lead Saarbrucken to its first team win of the season against TSV Bad Konigshofen.

Fan's momentum continued. On Sept 14, he delivered a clean 3-0 sweep against Cedric Nuytinck of Borussia Dortmund, contributing to Saarbrucken's dominant 3-0 overall victory. The two clubs met again on Sept 20 in the German Cup quarterfinals, where the Paris Olympic champion overpowered Adam Szudi 3-0, propelling Saarbrucken to another 3-0 team triumph.

That momentum, unfortunately, stalled on Oct 5, when both Fan and Saarbrucken lost on the road to SV Werder Bremen. Fan's shock 3-1 defeat to 193rd-ranked Paraguayan Marcelo Aguirre saw the team leave northwest Germany empty-handed with an overall 3-2 loss. Fan, however, finished the day on a high note, swatting aside Mattias Falck 3-0 in his second match.

"Regardless of who my opponent is, each match is a fresh experience on this stage. I will prepare seriously for every one of them," said Fan, the former world No 1, who is currently unranked after withdrawing from International Table Tennis Federation events last December.

"I am truly happy to embrace more challenges in my career. Going through them will not only enrich my career, but also, I hope, make me a better person."

Saarbrucken has maintained a top-level presence in European table tennis over the past four years, winning one Bundesliga title and finishing runner-up three times, while also securing three consecutive Champions League crowns.

"It's a fantastic team with a strong sense of unity," Fan said.

"For me, it's not just about competition, more importantly, it's about growing together with my teammates and creating unforgettable memories in the new season."

He expressed gratitude for the support from his club, noting the kindness of everyone within the organization in helping him adapt to and navigate various new challenges.

Despite Fan's inconsistent Bundesliga start, he's received unwavering support from teammates and fans.

Slovenian teammate Darko Jorgic expressed understanding, explaining that Fan simply needed time to adapt.

"The tables, the balls, the players — everything is different here. But we have many more matches ahead, and I'm sure the 'real Fan Zhendong' will be back," said Jorgic.

For club captain Patrick Franziska, having Fan as a teammate is "incredible".

"I am sure we can learn a lot from each other, grow together and enjoy competing side by side," said Franziska.

He shared that the two have hit it off well, often running errands together, like going grocery shopping, or watching football matches, building a strong connection beyond the training hall. The captain also plans to show Fan around Saarbrucken's local attractions.

The signing of the Chinese table tennis superstar has ignited unprecedented enthusiasm at the German club. Season ticket inquiries have soared, local hotel bookings have increased and organizers are now considering moving matches to larger venues to accommodate the growing number of fans. The match against Borussia Dusseldorf on Dec 21 will now be held at the 3,500-seat Saarlandhalle Saarbrucken.

The club's followers on the Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo skyrocketed from 10,000 to nearly 320,000. Even Fan's club jersey has become an instant bestseller.

Club manager Nicolas Barrois described the response to Fan's arrival as "crazy".

He noted that supporters from across Europe and China are booking flights simply "to see him once".

To handle the overwhelming demand, the club has set up a ticket resale platform "to allow as many fans as possible to attend", the manager said, adding that 90 percent of season tickets were purchased by fans in China.

The manager broadly views Fan's arrival as a chance for deeper collaboration with Chinese table tennis.

"China has always been No 1 in the world," said Barrois.

"We can learn a lot from our Chinese colleagues, and this is very important for the entire European table tennis community."

China remains a priority for Fan, too. After the Werder Bremen clash, he flew back to Shanghai to prepare for the National Games, where he will represent the East China metropolis in the men's team and singles events from Nov 7-20 at the Galaxy Arena in Macao.

Escaping Toxic Fandom

In China, though, Fan has long been troubled by the consequences of toxic fandom, ranging from invasions of his privacy and online harassment from other players' fans, to disruptions during matches.

In a July interview with Phoenix TV, Fan revealed he felt "extremely unsafe" after a stranger broke into his hotel room in 2023 while he was out. He and his family have repeatedly received messages of harassment and verbal abuse.

There was a point when even the sound of a camera shutter during a match made him want to flee. "I felt easily overwhelmed and just wanted to return to my room, to a place where I felt safe," he recalled.

To protect Fan from excessive interference, Saarbrucken has kept his whereabouts confidential — even changing the team hotel at the last minute.

"Sports should not be reduced to a battlefield for fans. It belongs to love, passion, persistence and unity," said Fan, who enjoys watching soccer, snooker, tennis and baseball.

He endured a 329-day title drought until June 3, 2024, when he won the WTT Champions Chongqing under intense pressure.

His renewed strength came from his love of sports.

On the night before the quarterfinals on June 2, he couldn't sleep. Instead, he watched Real Madrid beat Dortmund 2-0 in the Champions League final.

"It was Toni Kroos' last match for Madrid. Seeing him receive a standing ovation as he thanked the crowd filled me with energy," Fan recalled.

He reflected on the farewells of Madrid heroes Kroos and Luka Modric: "When a great player's career reaches its end, fans from all teams stand and applaud, thanking them for their contributions and the memories they've given us. That applause also carries good wishes for their future. This kind of emotion transcends winning or losing. That's the true power of sports."

"The charm of competitive sports lies not only in the outcome, but also in the dramatic process and the intertwining of collective emotions," he wrote in a Sept 22 Weibo post after watching his first live Premier League match at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium in London.

After his imperious display away to TSV Bad Konigshofen on Sept 6, as Fan's final match of the day concluded, the entire audience rose to their feet, chanting his name.

He turned back, waving and applauding toward the stands, acknowledging the support with look of genuine ease and happiness.