Saarbrucken: German table tennis club Saarbrucken announced Sunday the signing of Olympic champion Fan Zhendong. In a statement, the Saarbrucken club said it "is causing a stir with a spectacular new signing" as Fan, a former world No. 1 and one of the biggest stars in international table tennis, will compete for the club in next season's German table tennis league, the TTBL.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Fan expressed his enthusiasm about the move, stating, "I'm really looking forward to the new challenges in Saarbrucken and in the TTBL. I'm really excited to be part of this club, get to know a new environment - and celebrate many successes together with the team." The signing has been described as a significant milestone by team manager Nicolas Barroa, who remarked on the rapidity of the deal, saying, "It all came as such a surprise and happened so quickly that we still can't quite believe it."

Fan Zhendong, who achieved a career Grand Slam by clinching gold in both the men's singles and team events at the 2024 Paris Olympics, is set to bring his elite skills and global recognition to Saarbrucken. "The Olympic champion, world champion and multiple World Cup winner brings not only absolute world-class but also worldwide attention to Saarbrucken," the club stated.

The Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA) has shown its support for Fan's decision to play overseas, emphasizing their commitment to his continued excellence. "The CTTA will show its full support to ensure that Fan remains at a high level and brings more glory to the table tennis cause," read a statement from the association.

Fan previously competed for Shanghai in the Chinese Table Tennis Super League (CTTSL), with the next season scheduled to begin on June 9 and conclude on December 28. As part of his post-Olympic transition, Fan plans to participate in national competitions and club games both domestically and internationally to regain his competitive form.