China’s most renowned Taylor Swift admirer realized his greatest aspiration on Sunday when Fan Zhendong clinched a long-desired individual Olympic gold medal. The nine-time world champion continued China’s remarkable success in Olympic table tennis by defeating Sweden’s Truls Möregårdh in four tightly contested sets, adding the men’s singles title to the country’s earlier victories in the women’s singles and mixed doubles, with only the team events remaining. To date, China has amassed 35 out of 40 gold medals and 63 out of 118 total medals since the sport made its Olympic debut in 1988.
At 28, Fan is already a significant celebrity in China, where table tennis is a national passion. However, the committed Swiftie has seen his international fame skyrocket during these Olympics due to viral social media posts that have engaged the American singer’s fanbase.
“Music is universal,” Fan expressed on Weibo earlier this year. “Great musicians like Taylor Swift provide us with healing power and confidence. I hope everyone can sense her magic.”
Confidence was not an issue for Fan on Sunday afternoon, despite an unexpected loss in the opening set 11-7. He needed to stay close, awaiting the right moment to unleash his powerful forehand. Everything shifted after Fan won the second set and fended off a determined rally from Möregårdh in the third, clinching both sets 11-9 to lead two sets to one.
“In the first two games, [Möregårdh] was outstanding in his defense and very aggressive in his attacks,” Fan noted. “It took me some time to find my rhythm and disrupt his flow. Those were the main challenges.”
Known by the nickname Xiao Pang, meaning Little Fatty, Fan captivated a flag-waving Chinese crowd, creating an electrifying atmosphere in the 6,400-seat exhibition hall with his daring shotmaking, agile footwork, and arguably the finest backhand in the world, allowing him to dominate longer rallies. This was him in action.
By the decisive fourth set, Fan had overcome his early struggles and was on track for gold.
After finally securing the title on his sixth championship point with a precise backhand down the line, he spun around to the sea of red, arms crossing in contentment, having improved upon his silver medal from three years earlier. Fan’s outstanding day was the pinnacle of a glittering career that boasts 13 world championship medals and an Olympic team gold.
His admiration for Swift gained broader attention following his semi-final victory over French teenager Félix Lebrun on Friday, when a video resurfaced showing the Guangzhou native belting out Cruel Summer amid Swift fans—particularly remarkable since Fan rarely gives interviews in English. Soon enough, Swifties globally began overlaying Fan’s face onto Swift posters and stickers as a sign of support for the former world No. 1.
The fact that Fan’s momentous victory took place in August, the title of one of Swift’s hits, did not escape the notice of a fandom known for its obsession with numerology, hidden references, and broader symbolism.
However, table tennis is taken very seriously in mainland China, and Fan’s fandom has not always garnered positive attention. In March, after he was surprised by his then 18-year-old compatriot Lin Shidong at a World Table Tennis event in Singapore, critics online blamed Fan’s defeat on his earlier attendance at the Eras Tour at Singapore National Stadium, prompting him to defend himself publicly.
“I am an athlete nurtured by my country,” Fan stated. “I’ve always taken my responsibilities seriously for over ten years. During my leisure hours, I’m just an ordinary young man with regular hobbies and a social life. I will remain true to myself while adhering to the law and rules.”
It seems that Fan, who has dealt with the issues posed by obsessive fans, may understand the darker aspects of the adoration surrounding Swift. Last year, he urged his millions of followers to “be rational and shun fandom culture” following an incident where someone broke into his hotel room in Beijing and stole his belongings, as he posted on Weibo: “I plead with my fans to permit me to be an ordinary individual.”
Yet on Sunday, all of this became a distant memory as Fan finally captured the one title that had long eluded him.
His victory was the highlight of a session where Lebrun secured France’s first Olympic table tennis medal in 24 years. The 17-year-old, distinguished by his square-rimmed glasses and unique penhold grip, emerged as a breakout star at the Paris Olympics, easily defeating Brazil’s Hugo Calderano in the bronze medal match in front of a lively crowd that erupted with airhorns and held French tricolor flags high.
Lebrun, the highest-ranked male player outside China, captured attention as he succeeded both individually and in doubles with his older brother Alexis. His stardom skyrocketed overnight in the host country, with Zinedine Zidane attending to watch the brothers, while USA basketball player Tyrese Haliburton chimed in on X: “The Lebrun brothers are electrifying.” Spectators and press unable to get in were packed into the aisles, straining to capture photos from above.
After earning France’s second Olympic medal in men’s singles and the first since Jean-Philippe Gatien’s silver in 1992, he took a victory lap before the cheering crowd. But ultimately, the day belonged to Fan, forever an Olympic champion.
