Pokal

Fan Zhendong is the main reason why his club, 1. FC Saarbrücken-TT, is the clear favourite at the Liebherr Cup Final Four on 4 January. In this interview, the Chinese Olympic champion talks about his hopes and expectations ahead of the cup final, his impressions of the TTBL so far, and the unprecedented hype surrounding him.

Fan Zhendong, the Liebherr Cup Final Four offers you and 1. FC Saarbrücken-TT a great opportunity to win your first title in Germany. How do you feel about the tournament?

First of all, I am very happy that we have reached the Cup Final Four. I know that every team is very strong, so we will do everything we can to perform at our best. I can hardly wait.

You have won multiple gold medals at the Olympic Games and World Championships and have also won many titles in your home country of China. How important would winning the cup with Saarbrücken be for you?

Everyone in our team is working hard towards this goal. If we succeed in the end, it would be an incredibly wonderful moment for us.

Why?

Because it would be the first title of the season and therefore something very special, of course.

You have now played several matches for Saarbrücken in all three competitions. What is your impression?

The Bundesliga is a very high-level league. I am very happy to be here and to compete against the strong players from the various teams – it's a great feeling for me.

Apart from in Saarbrücken, your appearances at other TTBL clubs also generate enormous interest in tickets, often on a scale never seen before. How do you deal with this enthusiasm for you as a person?

Everywhere I go, I feel the great enthusiasm for the sport and the respect for the players. I enjoy that very much and look forward to every game.

Thank you very much for talking to us, Fan Zhendong.

Interview: Florian Manzke