German university system aims to breed table tennis success

ESSEN - The People’s Republic of China will be expected to dominate the table tennis at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games. China won all seven gold medals at Chengdu 2021, but Germany is also rapidly becoming a student-athlete powerhouse in the sport thanks to a centre of excellence in Düsseldorf.

Many of the German squad spent time at Borussia Düsseldorf table tennis school, just a few miles down the road from where competition will take place in Essen. With intensive practice and fine facilities, the experience bonded them closely: the men’s team achieved bronze at Chengdu 2021.

"Since we won a medal as a team last time, it would be great if we could do it again," said Kirill Fadeev (GER), a computer science student at University of Düsseldorf.

“For me, the FISU Games offer the great opportunity to compete against strong players in front of a home crowd. I hope I can help the team to achieve that goal.”

The host nation’s women also have a good shot at the podium this summer, thinks the head of the team, Anna Fabian. “We combine experienced players like Franziska Schreiner and Sophia Klee with up-and-coming talents,” she said.

Local interest… in Chinese Taipei

There will also be local interest in one of the highest-ranked competitors at Rhine-Ruhr 2025.

Twenty-two-year-old Feng Yi-Hsin (TPE) has a world ranking of 50 and has won multiple titles at youth level, as well as a 2021 Asian Championships silver medal. He plays in the German Bundesliga for TTC Zugbrucke Grenzau, two hours south of Essen, and will have a fine chance of gold here.

“He has great potential,” said his coach, Slobodan Grujic. “He lives table tennis, works meticulously on himself, is far from reaching the end of his potential, and can still achieve a lot internationally.”

Also tipped to do well is Ved Sheth (USA), who starred at the 2024 NCTTA College Table Tennis Championships, and is an electrical engineering and computer science student at Berkeley. Sheth has claimed two bronze medals at the Pan American Youth Championships, in 2022 and 2024.

History suggests more China supremacy, however. These games have been a springboard for several great Chinese players: at the Shenzhen 2011 Universiade, Xu Xin (CHN) won three golds. He went on to become world No.1 and twice Olympic champion.

Competition takes place between 17 and 24 July at Messe Essen Halle 1.

Seven gold medals will be awarded – in men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, mixed doubles, men’s team and women’s team.

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