Table tennis superstar Fan Zhendong has joined Major League Table Tennis (MLTT) as a strategic investor, the league announced this week.

This partnership makes Fan the latest of MLTT’s many notable investors, adding him to a list that includes six-time Olympic medalist Dimitrij Ovtcharov, NBA Hall of Famer Manu Ginobili, and prominent basketball executive Daryl Morey. MLTT will receive guidance and support from a star many consider to be one of the greatest table tennis players of all time.

“He wanted to be a part of [MLTT], and we’re thrilled to have him as an investor,” said MLTT CEO Flint Lane.

Fan is a former top-ranked table tennis player worldwide by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). He remained a dominant force across international competitions from his first gold medal at the 2013 Asian Youth Games until his sudden withdrawal from the world rankings in December 2024.

Fan’s performance in the 2024 Summer Olympics earned him his first gold medal in men’s singles, marking the third time he has received one as an Olympian. The 27-year-old from Guangzhou, China has also won two World Championships and a record-tying four World Cups in men’s singles.

Fan agreed to this partnership two months after joining FC Saarbrücken of Table Tennis Bundesliga. His decision to play for the German club began his venture into table tennis in the West, a journey that now includes joining MLTT.

MLTT will begin its third season on Sept. 5 at 4:00 p.m., when Liam Pitchford and the Florida Crocs take on 2025 third-overall pick Min Hyeok Kim and the Portland Paddlers at Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, CA.

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