Chinese table tennis star Fan Zhendong melts hearts by playing with chocolate bat
The double Paris Olympics gold medallist was asked to try a variety of paddles as part of an event hosted by UBS
Chinese table tennis fans have always thought their Olympic hero Fan Zhendong had a sweet playing style, but now they’ve seen him prove it, using a bat made of chocolate to showcase his tasty skills.
The 27-year-old was challenged to play in unusual situations by multinational investment bank UBS at an event in Shanghai on Monday, and it was not long before social media was abuzz, with Fan’s supporters fawning over the “cute and handsome” double Paris gold medallist.
After Fan began with a normal paddle, the event’s host asked him to play while holding a full bottle of water without spilling any, and to use a promotional board in the shape of a bat.
His final test, which the multiple world champion passed with flying colours, was to use a chocolate bat, which he handed back to staff after he finished the test.
High among the comments was the suggestion that Fan carry on playing with the edible version, so he could take a bite when he got hungry.
With Fan suggesting he had yet to retire, despite opting out of the World Table Tennis rankings last month, the world No 2 was asked about his future plans and specifically the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
