Giant slayer from Iran: Teen paddler Benyamin Faraji and what makes him special

Seconds after forcing Lin Shidong — the World No. 2 from China — into an error that resulted in a win for Benyamin Faraji, the 15-year-old from Tehran appeared perplexed, before jumping over the arena and hugging Iran coach J. Lotfollah Nasabi.

Faraji, the teenage sensation who has become Iran’s brightest table tennis prospect, stunned Shidong in Iran’s Asian Table Tennis Team Championship quarterfinal against China. Even though the result went China’s way, Faraji’s 3–2 triumph over the Chinese star marked another defining step in his rapid rise.

It wasn’t the first time Faraji had taken down a giant. At the last year’s Asian Championship, he had beaten World No. 1 Wang Chuqin in the team event and later stretched Shidong to five sets in singles. This time, he didn’t just stretch him — he conquered him.

Faraji boasts of an explosive forehand topspin.
| Photo Credit:
BISWARANJAN ROUT

With his explosive forehand top spins, precise placement, and ability to read spin early, Faraji forced Shidong into rare errors. The youngster’s balance of aggression and composure belied his age. “Benyamin played very well. It is incredible,” Iran coach J. Lotfollah Nasabi told Sportstar after the match.

So what is it that makes Faraji special?

“He is very brave. He plays against the world number one and still wants to win the match,” said Lotfollah. “This is a very good spirit from him. He is a hard worker who practises morning, afternoon, and night. Table tennis is his love and his passion.”

At 15, Faraji has already beaten top-two world-ranked paddlers. The scoreline may be temporary; the signal he has sent to world table tennis isn’t.

Published on Oct 13, 2025