Fan Zhendong: Heading to Europe to Escape Negativity — Being Unbeatable Isn’t Always a Blessing

On November 28 (Beijing time), fresh off winning the men’s singles title at the National Games, Fan Zhendong sat down for an exclusive interview with Phoenix TV’s program Face to Face with Celebrities. Here’s what he shared.

Fan Zhendong claimed the men’s singles gold and the men’s team silver at the National Games. Next, he will return to Germany to continue competing for Saarbrücken. He expressed his heartfelt connection to the sport, saying:

“I have always had a pure and genuine love for competitive sports. I follow many disciplines, and if you count the years, I’ve been a sports fan for nearly 20 years. Competitive sports simply cannot exist without fans. They draw more attention to the sport and inspire athletes to push beyond their limits, even to the point of losing themselves in the moment. Fans are an essential part of any sport. Beyond the joy of victory or the frustration of defeat, what truly matters is the emotion that moves you. I wish all fans the very best. To me, this feeling—one that goes beyond winning and losing—is the greatest strength and meaning that competitive sports bring into our lives.”

When asked whether competing in European club leagues brings him pressure and where that pressure comes from, Fan Zhendong admitted that it does.

He explained, “There is definitely pressure. In the Saarbrücken club I’m joining, there are many high-level players, including several ranked in the world’s top 10 or top 20. The internal training and competitive environment will be excellent, and the atmosphere is positive. Playing in leagues like the Bundesliga and the Champions League means facing very strong opponents. Pressure is natural, and I believe it helps bring out your best performance in competition.”

The interviewer commented that Chinese table tennis players going abroad often feel like top students who have no rivals—invincible wherever they go. Fan Zhendong offered a different perspective.

“I don’t view it from just one angle. I genuinely want to go and experience how they understand table tennis—their attitude, their culture. At this stage, it’s also a gentle way for me to step away from certain negative things and give myself some space to reset and adjust.”

The interviewer then asked whether he would feel disappointed if public attention remains high but his results in Europe don’t turn out as ideal as expected.

Fan Zhendong replied, “If you only look at the final result, you ignore the process. And when you act only based on outcomes, the journey becomes exhausting. No one can guarantee a perfect result. But if you can objectively and wholeheartedly experience everything along the way, that alone makes it a wonderful journey.”