East gets West: the surprising friendship between Chinese and German table tennis stars

German table tennis great Timo Boll sees Fan Zhendong as a sensitive and open-minded individual with a constant desire to explore, learn and improve, both as a player and as a person. The now-retired former World Cup winner also said that his friendship with China’s Olympic champion, who is 16 years his junior, had evolved into something far beyond the sporting realm ever since they first competed against each other in Suzhou in 2015. Boll was unable to beat his close friend in 11 attempts, but said they always had “great, exciting matches” that were always “fair and respectful”. The pair had got to know each other “off the table”, Boll said, and realised they had the same hobbies, such as football. “We went to dinner together and realised that we have similar mindsets and like each other,” Boll added. “It’s a nice friendship, and I’m happy to be able to help him now that he is in Europe, exploring together.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Timo Boll (@timoboll) Despite the age gap, Boll and Fan also bonded over more than just the sport they both played and excelled in. “He is very sensitive.

As a player, he feels everything in the game and recognises every small detail. If you’re like that in table tennis, then you’re also like that in your normal life,” the 45-year-old from Erbach told the South China Morning Post. “He is also very open-minded when he feels comfortable. He likes to explore and learn. “He is not shy of a different culture and is very eager to get to know the world. He is interested in everything and eager to learn many different things; it’s nice to do that together.

He is also never satisfied, and is always in the mood to improve himself.” Facing ups and downs in his game, overwhelming doubts and an extremely competitive environment within the team before the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Fan was under immense pressure. It was Boll who reached out to him. The four-time Olympic medallist drove six hours – with his mum’s handmade apple pie – and took Fan to a Bundesliga home game in Dortmund. “Those were special moments because the talk with him was very interesting for me also to get to know his story and mindset,” said Boll. “It’s very interesting if sportsmen talk to each other about how they feel during, after and before a competition. “And when you talk to someone who performs at such a high level, the topics are very intense, and I really enjoy talking to him not only about sport, but also about life.” From dropping out of the world rankings at the end of 2024, to deciding to play in Germany, and announcing his imminent switch from 1. FC Saarbrucken – where he had already won the German Cup and Champions League – to Borussia Dusseldorf, Fan has shaken up the world of table tennis time and time again in recent years.

Boll, who retired just before Fan’s arrival in Germany last year, believed that it is not up to other people to speculate about what he will do in the future, and supporters should just enjoy watching him play. “It’s entirely up to him to talk about his future,” the iconic German table tennis player said. “As for my view of him, I can only say: as a fan, I love watching him play. Even as an opponent, I admired him. “Every opportunity to watch him play is always a joy, as is the case right now in the German league. Of course, international table tennis misses him.

But he’ll have his reasons, which I have no right to speculate about.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Timo Boll (@timoboll) However, Boll, who recently visited China for the All In Caravaning Fair in Beijing, was sure of one thing. “I cannot come back. I’m not in shape any more. I retired and I’m happy with that decision,” he said. “So there’s no chance that I will come back [and play with Fan in the doubles in the league]. “I had the great luck and joy to have a very long career, so I don’t look back and think I stopped too early. I am just happy with how my career went. “I am now an ambassador for several companies, including Borussia Dortmund.

I still travel a lot, especially to China. I have a good balance right now between spending more time with family, friends and hobbies, while still working a little and keeping up with what’s going on in the table tennis circuit.”