The rumours of a return came to nothing: Fan Zhendong was left out of China’s squad for the 2026 World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals in London. The Paris 2024 Olympic men’s singles champion did not feature on a list headed by world No. 1 Wang Chuqin.
China named Wang Chuqin, Lin Shidong, Zhou Qihao, Xiang Peng and Liang Jingkun in the men’s team, with Sun Yingsha, Wang Manyu, Chen Xingtong, Kuai Man and Wang Yidi on the women’s side — the deepest roster in the field, and the one that went on to win both titles.
A changed calendar
Fan’s absence is consistent with the path he has chosen since Paris: a step back from the relentless international WTT grind in favour of league table tennis in Europe and selected events at home. His omission, rather than a shock, now reads as the new normal for one of the era’s defining players.