BERLIN, March 16 (Xinhua) -- German table tennis club Saarbrucken announced Monday that Chinese star Fan Zhendong will leave the team at the end of the current season to join Borussia Dusseldorf.
Fan joined Saarbrucken in June last year, and the club said signing a player of his caliber had allowed it to play a pioneering role in the sport, describing the move as a significant moment in the history of German and European table tennis.
"I would like to express my sincerest thanks to the Saarbrucken table tennis club for giving me this incredible opportunity," Fan said in a statement.
"It has been a very special experience in my career. However, at this stage of my career, I feel ready to take a new step. Borussia Dusseldorf is one of the strongest forces in European and world table tennis, and my close friendship with Timo Boll has also inspired me to embrace this new challenge."
At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Fan won gold medals in both the men's singles and men's team events. The victory completed his career Grand Slam after he had already secured singles titles at the World Cup and the World Table Tennis Championships. ■
