The preparation of a Bundesliga home game is always associated with a certain effort for TSV Bad Königshofen. The hall has to be prepared for the German table tennis elite, which is a challenge, especially in vacation times like now, since many of the volunteers are still on vacation. TSV Managing Director Andreas Albert hadn’t had as much around the ears as this time. And because of only one man: that is “all fan zhendong owed,” he explains. The 28-year-old Chinese has triggered a vertebrae since moving to the 1st FC Saarbrücken, which breaks all dimensions for German table tennis conditions-and is a guest in the tranquil Bad Königshofen on Saturday when TSV welcomes the Saarländer on the second day (3 p.m.).
The TSV home game is sold out, there were also ticket orders from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Canada-and of course from China. Also this week, Albert received emails from Chinese whether there was still a place for them in the hall. Why so many fan Zhendong wants to see makes his list of success: he is the incumbent single Olympic champion, two-time single world champion and was number one in the world rankings from spring 2020 to spring 2024. There are two other Olympic gold medals and five World Cup titles in the team. His more than seven million followers on his Chinese Weibo channel make it clear what a star he is in his homeland. The news from his move to Saarbrücken was called 3.4 million times via Weibo.
The hype about the 28-year-old is so great that special measures had to be taken in Bad Königshofen. Albert had booked a hotel for the Saarbrücken during the week, but since the Chinese fan base found out which it was, a new accommodation had to be sought. “The poor guy has to be able to sleep at night,” says Albert and laughs. The alternative hotel of the guest team, strictly secret, of course, is now 30 minutes from Bad Königshofen.
The club has come up with a lot to make the hundreds of Chinese spectators in Franconian 6000-inhabitant location as pleasant as possible. A shuttle service brings the Chinese guests from Schweinfurt train station to the hall and again, the bus is already full. “Let’s see if we are still driving after a minibus,” says Albert, “not that some of them get stuck at the train station.” In addition, he invited Fu Yong, the long-time Chinese ex-coach of the TTF Ochsenhausen, who not only appear as a co-commentator, but will also address a few words to the Chinese spectators in the hall. Since the Bundesliga duel due to fan Zhendong is also transferred on Chinese television, Albert hopes to “further expand the bridge to China”. Even before the current season, the Franconian club reached autograph card inquiries from China, the Rummel is now to make TSV even better known in China.
“Wherever he will play, the halls will be full.”
In general, the transfer of the Olympic champion to the German table tennis Bundesliga, according to Albert, triggered a “new hype”, which was just right after Timo Boll’s end of career. “Wherever he will play, the halls will be full,” predicts the TSV managing director. The fact that Fan Zhendong lost his two opening games on the first match day against Bergneustadt came quite surprisingly, after all, the Chinese had only lost a game against five non-Asians before moving to Germany. For example, he won all eight duels against Timo Boll. Albert explained the defeats as follows: First, he was not yet completely trained, and secondly, a current Olympic champion had to cope with the changeover. Other table tennis table, other balls, other floor coverings, that also makes a lot for top players, he said, because: “Table tennis players are very sensitive.”
TSV Bad Königshofen, who lost his opening game as well as Saarbrücken 1-3, is not just because of fan Zhendong on Saturday as an outsider. In addition to fan, the former TSV player Darko Jorgic (world rankings-10.) And Patrick Franziska (world rankings-18.) There are two other top players in the guest bike. Albert predicts that the TSV will have to fight for the class this season; Without the Japanese Jin Ueda, the team lacks an “exceptional player”. You will see the new exceptional player of the league on Saturday in Bad Königshofen.