Fan Zhendong and coach Wang Hao hold China's national flag and wave to spectators after Fan won the table tennis men's singles gold medal on Sunday. [Photo by Wei Xiaohao / China Daily]

As aggressively competitive as he is at the table, Fan comes across as any average young man, following European soccer as his hobby, and enjoying the latest music trends, especially the catchy songs of pop megastar Taylor Swift.

By posting his appreciation for Swift's music regularly on his social media account Weibo, where he has garnered over 3.2 million followers, Fan has captivated not only table tennis enthusiasts, but also a legion of "Swifties", the American artist's devoted followers.

After Fan outplayed Lebrun to advance to the men's singles final on Friday, social media users began superimposing Fan's face on Taylor Swift posters and stickers to rally support for the table tennis standout.

Fan, a self-proclaimed Swiftie himself, has openly expressed his admiration for the iconic musician.