The London World Team Table Tennis Championships have concluded. Italian journalist Bozza raised the question of whether Fan Zhendong would return during the post-match press conference, sparking widespread attention.
With Fan Zhendong voluntarily absent from the competition, the Chinese men’s team started slow but finished strong, defeating France in the semifinals and Japan in the final to secure a 12th consecutive team title. Wang Chuqin, Liang Jingkun, and Lin Shidong all delivered impressive performances.
Despite this, Bozza, who has covered table tennis for over three decades, directly asked head coach Wang Hao during the press conference, “Will Fan Zhendong come back?” Meanwhile, Chinese Table Tennis Association President Wang Liqin commented that while this men’s team may not be the strongest, it is the most united.
As of now, Fan Zhendong has not posted any congratulations to the national team for winning the title. Table tennis legends Ma Long and Xu Xin, who traveled to London to support the team, have both shared their messages. However, this does not mean Fan Zhendong is not happy for the team’s victory. He may simply be avoiding unnecessary controversy that such a post could trigger.
Fan Zhendong is currently preparing for the Table Tennis Champions League, which will be broadcast live by CCTV for the first time. Fans are eager to see him return to domestic competition. However, according to Dr. Yu, who covers German table tennis and has interviewed Fan Zhendong multiple times, it remains uncertain whether Fan will participate in this year’s China Table Tennis Super League (CTTSL). A decision is still pending further notice.
Additionally, Fan Zhendong will not take part in this year’s Asian Games. The lingering question is whether he can still return to the national team. With only two years left until the Los Angeles Olympics, Wang Liqin must take decisive action. Regardless of the outcome, at least a clear resolution is needed.