Chinese mainland table tennis star Fan Zhendong reached a new high on Sunday in Neu-Ulm, Germany. Leading his overseas club Saarbrucken, he helped secure a 3-1 victory over RhonSprudel Fulda-Maberzell in the German Cup final, marking his first title outside Asia. 🏆🌍
With 5,200 fans cheering, Fan kicked things off with a straight-games win over former World No. 1 Dimitrij Ovtcharov. Though captain Patrick Franziska fell to Ruwen Filus, Darko Jorgic pulled ahead by beating Meng Fanbo. Fan then closed out the final against Filus, sweeping to clinch the trophy.
Unbeaten all day, Fan also contributed two wins in Saarbrucken’s 3-1 semifinal triumph over Liebherr Ochsenhausen. Since joining in June 2025, he’s been a key driver in Saarbrucken’s strong Bundesliga, German Cup and European Champions League runs. The team heads back to continental action for the Champions League quarterfinals in mid-January. ⚡️
“Competing in Europe at this level, combined with the amazing support from local fans, has made my overseas stint so rewarding,” Fan said.
For young athletes and fans everywhere, Fan’s journey shows that dedication and stepping out of your comfort zone can lead to historic wins. Keep an eye on the Champions League quarterfinals in mid-January – Saarbrucken and Fan are just getting started! 🔥
Reference(s):
China's Fan Zhendong leads Saarbrucken to German Cup title in Europe
cgtn.com
