Get to know Fan Zhendong, the Chinese professional table tennis player

Get to know Fan Zhendong, the Chinese professional table tennis player

Helix Odhiambo
November 26, 2023 at 5:31 AM

Fan Zhendong's dominance in table tennis has made him famous, with people keen to know more about his background. Zhendong is a Chinese professional table tennis player with over a decade of experience. He is currently the world number one in the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) ranking.

Fan Zhendong's age
Fan Zhendong of Team China arrives for the men's table tennis team final against South Korea in the 19th Asian Games at Gongshu Canal Sports Park Gymnasium on 26 September 2023 in China. Photo: Bai Yu
Source: Getty Images

Table tennis or ping pong is one of the most popular indoor sports on earth. The game has produced exceptional talents like Fan Zhendong. This article explores his background, career achievements, and net worth. Is Fan available on social media?

Fan Zhendong's profile summary

Name

Fan Zhendong

Nickname

Little Fatty (Pinyin)

Birth date

22 January 1997

Age

26 (as of November 2023)

Birthplace

Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

Nationality

Chinese

Height

1.73 m (5' 8")

Weight

77 kg (170 lb)

Hair colour

Black

Eye colour

Dark brown

Profession

Table tennis player

Team

Chinese national team of table tennis

World ranking

1 (as of November 2023)

Parents

Yu Zhendong

Brother

Rin Zhendong

Net worth

$5 million

Fan Zhendong's biography

Table tennis star Fan Zhendong (age 26 as of November 2023) was born and raised in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, in southern China. Fan Zhendong's nationality is Chinese.

He started playing ping pong at five by competing in numerous tournaments. Ping pong is a national sport in China, followed by millions of its citizens, from the grassroots to the senior level.

Why is Fan Zhendong called Little Fatty?

Fan Zhendong's nationality
Fan Zhendong of China attends a training session ahead of the 2023 Pyeongchang Asian Table Tennis Championships at Pyeongchang Dome on 1 September 2023 in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Photo: VCG
Source: Getty Images

The talented athlete earned his nickname from fans and commentators because of his slightly chubby face and body. The 'Little Fatty' in Chinese means 'Xiao Pang' or 'Pinyin.'

Fan Zhendong's height

The Chinese athlete measures 1.73 m or 5 feet and 8 inches tall. He has an athletic body weighing 77 kg (170 lb) with black hair and dark brown eyes.

Fan Zhendong's family

Pinyin's father is Yu Zhendong, and his brother is Rin Zhendong. However, he has not shared details of his mother. His family supported him to pursue his dreams while studying.

Fan Zhendong's career

Fan Zhendong's equipment
Torchbearer Fan Zhendong of China holds a flame during the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games at Hangzhou Sports Park Stadium on 23 September 2023 in Hangzhou, China. Photo: Shi Tang
Source: Getty Images

The Little Fatty joined Guangdong's provincial table tennis team at 7 to train and improve his skills. In 2012, he debuted in the ITTF World Tour at 15.

Fan bagged his first title at the 2015 Asian Championships after defeating Xu Xin in the final. The victory made him the youngest men's singles champion in the tournament's history. He also beat his rival Ma Long to win his first ITTF World Tour Grand Finals title in 2016.

Pinyin continued to dominate the world stage by overcoming Germany's Timo Boll in 2017 to lift his first World Championship title. The triumph made him the youngest-ever men's singles world champion. Fan's achievements have increased his reputation, making him the 19th most popular Chinese table tennis player globally.

Fan Zhendong's medals

Fan Zhendong's medals
Chinese table tennis players Zhendong Fan (L), Long Ma (M), and Xin Xu (R) pose with gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on 6 August 2021 in Photo: Tom Weller
Source: Getty Images

Zhendong is an eight-time world champion, 11-time Asian, and seven-time Chinese champion. He also has 18 singles titles and 12 titles in doubles events. Pinyin won the gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in a team event and one Chinese Super League trophy.

Fan Zhendong's equipment and playing style

The Little Fatty penned a contract with Butterfly, an online table tennis store supplying ping pong equipment. He uses the Fan Zhendong ALC racket from Butterfly, named after him. His other equipment is the Hurricane III national rubber blue sponge in his forehand and the Dignics 09C in his backhand.

Why is Fan Zhendong called Little Fatty?
Fan Zhendong of China during his match against Dimitrij Ovtcharov of Germany in the quarterfinal of the WTT Cup at Xinxiang Pingyuan Sports Center on 28 October 2022. Photo: VCG
Source: Getty Images

The ping pong star is known for playing attacking and counter-attacking styles against his opponents using his brand tennis rackets. He is usually aggressive, giving his rivals less breathing space.

Fan Zhendong and Super ALC blade

The Butterfly blade constitutes a Super Arylate-Carbon that provides a higher bounce for the flexibility of Arylate-Carbon.

Fan Zhendong and Super ZLC blade

Butterfly also supplies the ZLC rackets with a high-density weave of Carbon and ZL-fiber. The blade has a good bounce, providing powerful shots and stability due to the expansion of the high-reaction area.

Fan Zhendong's ranking

How long has Fan Zhendong been world number 1?
China's Fan Zhendong competes in the men's singles final against Ma Long at the 2023 Pyeongchang Asian Table Tennis Championships on 10 September 2023 in Pyeongchang. Photo: VCG
Source: Getty Images

The talented ping pong athlete has cemented his place among the best players. He is ranked no.1 in the latest ITTF men's singles table with 6495 points. Here is a breakdown of the world's top 10 highest-ranked table tennis players as of November 2023.

Player

Points

Country

Fan Zhendong

6495

China

W Chuqin

5145

China

Ma Long

4565

China

Liang Jingkun

2945

China

Hugo Calderano

2875

Brazil

Lin Yun-Ju

2385

Chinese Taipei

Lin Gaoyuan

2245

China

Felix Lebrun

2110

France

Lin Shidong

1610

China

Jang Woojin

1560

Korea Republic

How long has Fan Zhendong been world number 1?

The Chinese star first became world number one in April 2018 after dethroning German's Timo Boll, who held the position since November 2015.

"It is an amazing feeling to become the world's number one. It has always been a big dream of mine," Fan said in a statement. "I hope I can keep this position for a very long time." He added.

The Little Fatty spent 26 months at number one, putting him in third place in months spent on top of the ranking. Ma Long leads with 64 months, followed by W Liqin with 52.

Who defeated Fan Zhendong?

Fan Zhendong's ranking
Winner W Chuqin (R) of China celebrates with runner-up Fan Zhendong after their final at the 19th Asian Games at Gongshu Canal Sports Park Gymnasium on 2 October 2023 in Hangzhou, Photo: ChinaSports
Source: Getty Images

Fan's latest defeat came against W Chuqin, who beat him in the 2023 Asian Games finals on 2 October. Chuqin won 4-3, stopping him from retaining the trophy. The two previously teamed up during the event to clinch men's doubles gold.

Is Fan Zhendong better than Ma Long?

The two stars have become fierce rivals for years. Ma Long, nine years older than Fan, has won more matches against his opponent. The duo has met 17 times, with Ma Long winning 13 games and Zhendong four times as of November 2023.

Fan Zhendong's net worth

The Little Fatty has earned an estimated net worth of $5 million as of 2023. He is among the wealthiest ping pong athletes on earth. Ma Long tops the list with a net worth of $20 million.

Interesting facts about the Little Fatty

Fan Zhendong's height
Silver medalist Fan Zhendong of China during the 2023 Pyeongchang Asian Table Tennis Championships medal ceremony at Pyeongchang Dome on 10 September 2023 in South Korea. Photo: VCG
Source: Getty Images

The current world number one has made his way to the top of table tennis because of his hard work and determination. Here are other exciting details you need to know about him.

Who is Fan Zhendong's wife?

The Chinese star is not married. According to some reports, Fan is single and focusing on his career. Other sources have linked him to Li Zijun, a famous Chinese skater with excellent skills and technique. However, none of them have confirmed their relationship.

Is Zhendong on social media?

The table tennis youngster has kept a low profile despite being a famous athlete. He is not available on any social media platform.

Fan Zhendong's unique playing style and achievements have made him a sought-after player. His rise from the streets of Guangzhou to conquering the world is inspirational. Fan's focus is to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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Authors
Helix Odhiambo photo
Helix Odhiambo
Helix Odhiambo is an award-winning Kenyan journalist and content creator with over 6 years of experience. In 2016, he won the Goal Blaze Correspondent Award for young writers.
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