My interview with Jan-Ove Waldner begins with his thoughts on some opponents through the years and some general, related points.
Match statistics against:
Kong Linghui: I am definitively up. I lost the first match we played, but after that I won a lot in a row before I lost the final in the World Team Championships in 2000.
Liu Guoliang: 4-5, I think. I lost the five first matches, but won the last four.
Wang Liqin: It is quite even as I played him when he was relatively young. However, I lost the two last encounters in 2004; once before the Olympics and then again during the Olympics.
Ma Lin: I am clearly trailing against Ma Lin. I am not certain how many times we have played, but he has for sure the most wins. But I won in the 2004 Olympics.
Cai Zhenhua: I didn’t play him many times, but we won half of the encounters each. 2-2.
The following match statistics are not part of the interview, but added by me. They are taken from “When the feeling decides”, the Waldner career bio written by Jens Fjellke. The statistics below cover Waldner’s career up to 1997. Unfortunately I do not have updated statistics for the rest of this career.
Waldner’s wins are listed first:
Chen Longcan 7-10
Chen Zhibin 3-2
Guo Yuehua 0-2
Jiang Jialiang 4-8
Ma Wenge 19-5
Teng Yi 23-7
Wang Tao 5-1
Li Gunsang 9-3
Kim Taek Soo 12-11
Yoo Namkyu 9-2
Kim Song Hui 11-4
J-P Gatien 22-11
Andrzei Grubba 41-20
Tibor Klampar 8-1
Zoran Primorac 20-13
Jörg Rosskopf 22-11
J-M Saive 26-21
Which player did you think of as a potential problem before playing him?
Liu Guoliang had a very good serve and was very good allround. For a time I feared him the most, but once I found out how to play Liu, Ma Lin became the toughest opponent.
A few classic penholders have played in Sweden over the years, among others An Shu, Huang Dawei, Chen Jian and Wang Jianfeng. Do you feel anything out of the ordinary when playing them and what do you think of them as players?
I actually don’t have any particular thoughts on any of them. Out of the ones you mentioned, Wang Jianfeng was quite clearly the best.
If you compare the best Europeans with the best Chinese, what do you think is the greatest difference when it comes to:
Technique: The Europeans have better basic stroke technique and are more imaginative, i.e. they have more options for any given ball, but it is difficult to generalise. The Chinese are more robot-like and limit their options for each ball, but they have much better rallying techniques, something they really excel at.
Tactics: The Chinese are much better prepared and are better at applying tactics during matches. They have very competent coaches and trainers. Looking at the Europeans, only the Swedes can compare to the Chinese in this respect.
Training: The Chinese practise so much more than Europeans do from a much younger age. That is the biggest difference. At the very top, all elite players practise extremely hard, but the Chinese begin tough quantity training from an earlier age.
Was there a lower ranked player whom you feared a bit more despite his lower overall ability?
No, nobody in particular.
I’ll rephrase that. Was there was a specific style of play which posed particular problems?
I don’t want to give away too much, but really good backhand players, like Andrey Mazunov, could sometimes cause me more trouble than would be expected considering their level of play.
In 2004 you lost the Olympic semifinal to Ryu Seung Min due to lower quality service returns. Before that match you had beaten players with much better serves than him, Ma Lin and Liu Guoliang, for exaqmple. What was so difficult with Ryu’s serves?
First I’d like to point out that Ma Lin’s serve was not especially good at first. He used a stabbing serve with the only variations being backspin and no spin, that is all. But to answer your question, I didn’t play Ryu very often and was not familiar enough with serves, so I struggled. Apart from that, we must not forget the supreme form he was in at the time. He hit the ball extremely hard and was moving superfast.
We mentioned Ma Lin; which were his strengths and weaknesses according to you?
His forehand was very, very good, he had phenomenal returns and at the time he was very fast. He is not as fast today, but he is still pretty quick. His main weaknesses are his relative sensitivity to spin and that he is poor against straight attacks.
You are recognised as being very good against defenders. What would happen if you played Joo Se Hyuk today?
If the match was played best of five, I would win. If it was best of seven, Joo would win.
Who is the best defender in the world at the moment?
Wang Xi, my team mate in Fulda. Just check out his stats for this season in the German League. Personally, I have only 50/50 stats on him in practise. Joo Se Hyuk is the second best defender to Wang Xi.
Which of your opponents have underachieved relative to capacity and talent?
Primmen (Zoran Primorac) comes to mind immediately if you think about those who have not won anything. He really should have won something as good as he was for a while during his career. Andrzej Grubba was also incredibly good, but didn’t win a major title.
If you are thinking of talented underachievers, I think Magnus Molin has squandered a lot of his talent. He could have become very, very good.
Which player is well worth watching according to you?
It was Klampar in the past. He was simply incredible to watch with that forehand and his extraordinary ball contact. Of the current players, I think Kalinikos Kreanga is very entertaining to watch.
I once asked you to list the all-time best players in the world. You gave me this list:
1. Jan-Ove Waldner
2. Kong Linghui
3. Guo Yuehua
4. Wang Liqin
5. Liu Guoliang
Hahaha… Did I really put myself at the top? Doesn’t look good, does it? People will think I am so arrogant.
Yes, you actually did put yourself at the top.
Yes… But it is true though, isn’t it? Haha.
Who would you add to the list in positions 6-10?
Oh, this will be hard. I would probably add the following:
6. Jiang Jialiang
7. Jörgen Persson
8. Wang Hao
After that it becomes too hard to pick and choose.
No Europeans? Jean-Michel Saive? Tibor Klampar? Jean-Phillipe Gatien?
No, none of them. Saive and Klampar did not even win any major titles.
How about some of the older ones?
No. It doesn’t feel right to add Barna, Ogimura or Bergmann. They played too long ago and it was a completely different game back then. You will have to settle for eight players on my list.
All players on your list are not entirely contemporary. None in the top five have won a title after 2001. Why are none of the younger ones on your list?
The younger ones have not achieved enough yet. It is as simple as that.
I will now ask you to design the ultimate player. I have listed a number of strokes and qualities below. Pick the player you think is outstanding for each of these and we will see what we end up with.
Forehand loop, opening: Ma Lin
Forehand loop, in open play: Wang Liqin
Forehand flick: Damien Eloi, That was a bit unexpected, wasn’t it?
Backhand loop: Rosskopf, particularly against backspin. Otherwise Kreanga.
Backhand flick: Wang Hao, over the table. It was unreal.
Defensive play: Vladimir Samsonov
Footwork: Ryu Seung Min
Ball sense: Mikael Appelgren
Reading the game: Jan-Ove Waldner
Tactics: Jan-Ove Waldner
Serve: Liu Guoliang
Returns: Jörgen Persson
Physique: Christophe Legout
Attitude: Wang Liqin
*
The next part of the interview will deal with equipment and some related questions.
The first question about you is often what equipment you use. So, what rubbers do you use these days?
Coppa JO Gold on forehand and Coppa JO Platin on backhand.
Which blade do you play with?
Right now I use Waldner Senso Carbon.
How important is the equipment for you?
It is naturally very important and I always have good stuff to play with.
Do you try out a lot of blades and rubbers to find the best match for you?
No, not really. I know what I want and I am happy when I have that. Jörgen Persson tries out a lot more equipment than I do, for example.
So you have never been an EJ?
No, never.
Have you changed a lot of equipment since the speedglue ban?
No, not really, but the rubbers themselves have changed a lot. However, I will try out a new faster blade now and I guess that is the closest I am to a change these days.
What are your thoughts on long pips and anti players? What are their pros and cons?
It is hard to become good with anti as it – per definition – makes it hard to add spin to the ball. Long pips suit defenders very well though. In spite of that it is very hard to become a really good defender these days. It is no longer enough to be good defensively, you will need a very good offensive game as well. That means that to become a really good modern defender, you will have to practise twice as much. If you look at Wang Xi, our defender in the Fulda team, I am sure he would be in the World Top 50 if he played a purely offensive game.
In the 1989 World Team final you played the Chinese team with Chen Longcan, Teng Yi and Jiang Jialiang. Did all the Swedes speedglue at that time?
Yes, we all did.
Did the Chinese as well?
Teng Yi did. Of that I am almost certain. I am less sure about the other two, but I think they did. After all, both Chen Longcan and Jiang Jialiang were traditional penholders.
*
After opponents and equipment related questions we move on to rules and changes to the game.
What do you think about the booster ban?
It is OK.
Is boosting common among the world players?
I don’t know.
These two answers seem to come more from Waldner the Diplomat than Waldner the Private Person, right?
Well, you can put it like that if you want.
How do you feel about the ban of frictionless pimples?
It is wrong to eradicate a style of play in this way. It would have been different had the rubbers still been the same colour on both sides, but as it is now it is just a daft ban.
How have the new rules affected you personally?
No hidden serves: A small negative change for me, but I think I have adapted pretty well.
40 mm ball: I think it has led to less spin and less entertaining table tennis. More players play with less imagination and more like robots these days.
Sets to 11 instead of 21: Perfectly fine.
Ban on speedgluing: Speedgluing should have been allowed to continue providing it was harmless. As things stand now, we face problems we didn’t have to deal with previously, such as the disqualifications of Wang Liqin, Adrian Crisan and Petr Korbel.
I’ll cut in here. What is your view on Wang Liqin’s recent disqualification?
It is perfectly fine when someone uses illegal equipment. Everybody knows the rules.
Does this affect your esteem for him?
No, not at all.
Back to rule changes; how did they affect you? Negatively or positively?
I cannot say I was affected more than anyone else, so on balance things stayed pretty much the same.
In what way has the game changed during your career? I am not thinking about rules now, but rather how the actual play has evolved.
The game has become much faster. Also, we see more robot-like players these days and fewer styles of play.
Are these changes caused by equipment or training methods?
They are connected and consequences of each other. When the equipment becomes faster, the players must become faster and stronger. Evolution is inevitable. All you need to do is to look at the way I played in the beginning of the 80’s as opposed to the end of the 80’s. Or compare the play today with that of ten years ago. The differences are quite big and this shows the natural progression when equipment and training methods develop.
What would you like to change in table tennis?
I want more big and serious competitions or better Pro Tour competitions, for example. They have stagnated and not really evolved for a long time. The developments on the web and on TV is a good thing, but it could be even better. The situation in China is better than anywhere else, in this respect.
Let’s have a look at some rule changes. I’ll suggest some and you comment briefly on them.
A larger ball?
Bad.
A higher net?
Bad.
A larger table?
Bad.
I think there has been too many changes recently. Changes make it hard for non-players outside table tennis to follow what is going on. Apart from that, the changes you mentioned above, would carry huge development costs for manufacturers, costs they will have to push onto the players and clubs. Furthermore, I believe the above changes will lead to even less styles of play and more robot-like players.
What are your thoughts on two players per nation in the Olympics and at the Worlds?
It is useless. The very best players should play. If a certain country is the best, then so be it. Let the others work to catch up instead.
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A lot of people wonder how Waldner has developed his style of play and his ability to read the game. Some questions also touch on his tactical sense.
I understand that China has meant a lot to you as a player. When did you first visit?
In 1980.
How did this affect you as a player?
Hard work got a whole new meaning to me. I understood what it actually would take of me to become the best player in the world.
How many times have you been to China?
About 100 times.
How big are you in China today?
As big as I ever was. I go quite often so I am as popular as I was during my prime as a player.
Let’s talk about something a little more related to playing technique. What did you think when you served? What was the idea? How did you vary the serve despite using the same movement? How did you notice when an opponent had a hard time with a particular serve?
I try to get a feeling for the opponent before the match. I study him and try to come up with a set of tactics to try out. They are different depending on which player I am up against. I always have defined tactics to follow.
And what do you do when you are up against an unknown or unfamiliar player?
I observe how the opponent moves and how he holds his bat. After that I try out some serves to see his reaction and to find suitable tactics.
Which part of your game have you spent most time developing?
The serve and service return. I have drilled the serve so much and played a lot of matches. I learnt how to return by watching other players and then trying it out myself.
How did you get your fantastic ability to read the game?
When I was a kid I always played games with balls and learnt how they behave and react. Watching a lot of table tennis and other sports also helped. If I have played or seen a player before, I always remember their strengths and weaknesses. I intentionally study opponents to be aware of their abilities before I play them. I leave nothing to chance and it enables me to employ the right tactics.
What was your greatest strength as a player?
My serve and serve variations, my ability to read the game and my tactical skills.
And your greatest weakness?
The flick and my offensive backhand play. Sometimes my return game was a weakness, on other days it was a strength. It was an uneven part of my game.
Which tactics worked best against you?
Let sleeping dogs lie. Calm players playing a strong backhand game.
Were you encouraged to play with “feeling” when you were young, or did that come naturally to you?
No, I taught myself that. The coaches did not influence that part of my game. I played an incredible number of matches which enabled me to try out just about anything and everything. I used to play with the wrong hand, all out offensive, all out defensive and much more.
Some say you practised too little and that you only relied on talent when you were young. What is your view on that?
I played 6-7 hours per day from the age of 14 and practised with the Swedish national team (Ulf Thorsell, Roger Lagerfeldt, Mikael Appelgren) every morning and evening. In between practise sessions I sometimes practised some more on my own. On top of this we can add all tournaments and matches. Whether that is too little or not, I’ll let others decide.
Some have good serves, others less good ones. It is not all down to practise so what is the difference?
The wrist and timing. If you don’t have it naturally, it is hard to develop it. For example, Jörgen Persson has much better backhand serves than I do. He was forced to develop them as his forehand serve was not that good. In the end, different people have different talents.
You often speed up the game in between points when you have the upper hand. Do you do this consciously? If so, why?
It is down to tactics. Players need time to prepare, especially if my serve causes them problems. In a situation like that you want to put more pressure on them by limiting the time they have to think and adjust. In short, the nicest guy doesn’t win. Table tennis is so much about tactics.
*
After this we spent some time discussing Swedish and European table tennis compared to Chinese table tennis – always an interesting and current subject.
How can Europe take the fight to China?
It will be very hard, but focus intensely on talented and promising youths, customise training specifically for them and collaborate between European associations to organise training camps in Europe from the age of 12-14 and upwards.
Is it possible for the European style to gain ground on the Chinese? If so, how?
Yes, by doing what I just proposed. But it is also very important to retain the creativity while pushing development as far as possible.
What could Sweden do to produce better players?
The same things I proposed for Europe, but adjusted to fit Swedish circumstances.
Do any such programs exist today?
No, not today. The situation is better in some European countries, but no one is close to China.
Do you think Sweden will ever become a top nation again?
It is possible. You have to establish good collaborations between Sweden and other European countries and make sure you pick up and develop the talented juniors. The talent is there and table tennis is a classic sport in Sweden.
How would you like to make table tennis bigger outside China?
By organising good tournaments on all levels, getting rid of the remaining basement image and by taking care of the players. ETTU (European Table Tennis Union) must promote the players better, create media profiles and secure much better television deals in Europe.
ETTU must also put the players before the officials. ETTU is simply too poor compared to ITTF. Just look at Europe Top 12. Thanks to ETTU that tournament is completely ruined today.
Have you ever thought of going to USA to help table tennis forward there?
I have been in contact with SPIN in New York. Susan Sarandon visited Sweden and wants me to come over. It might turn into something, but only if I have time to spare.
What are your thoughts on the standing of table tennis in Sweden and the world right now?
It is good in Asia. It is OK in Germany, but they do not have enough television coverage. The status of the sport has decreased in both France and Belgium since they lack star players these days. Overall, the status of the sport is not so strong in Europe.
The status is alright in Sweden. These days we have matches on TV every weekend during the season, but that is not enough. We need more clubs and players. We need to expand the foundations of the sport.
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Another big subject which raises a lot of questions, is that of Waldner’s career.
Which is your biggest success?
The Barcelona Olympics in 1992. I was the only Swede to win gold there and media interest was phenomenal. The Olympics is the ultimate title, the biggest thing you can win and I had prepared for such a long time for that tournament.
What are you most proud of in your table tennis career?
My attitude to the sport. I love table tennis.
Which match was your most fun of all time?
Oh, there are so many. I can’t think of any particular one right now.
Which match was your all-time best? The one where EVERYTHING worked?
It was the quarterfinal and semifinal in New Delhi in 1987 where I played Chen Longcan and Teng Yi. I had been sick in dysentery before the singles and had missed the team final because of that, but these two matches were easily the best I have ever played.
Which was your heaviest loss?
There are so many, haha! But perhaps to Ma Lin in the semifinal in Eindhoven in 1999. I had 2-0 and 16-11 in the third and up until then I had done as I pleased in the match. That was a really heavy loss.
Which was the hardest time of your career?
It was after I injured my foot in 2002. I could not play for such a long time.
Were you ever close to quitting table tennis as a youth?
No, I was too good to quit.
(Waldner says this without hesitation or a hint of a smile. A sign of his determination and will power.)
Did you always want to be the best in the world?
Yes.
(Same thing. Not a hint of a smile.)
What was your main driving force? Winning? Competing? The perfect match?
It was the actual competing. I love to compete and I compete at everything all the time.
How do you motivate yourself these days?
I play so few matches these days that it is no problem to focus. It helps to play in a good and fun team too. Apart from this, I do not practise as much as I used to, but to keep it very simple, it all boils down to my love for this sport.
When will you quit?
I’ll stay one more year in Fulda. After that we’ll see.
Will you play in Pingisligan (the highest Swedish league) before you quit?
Most likely, but at this point in time it is too big a difference. There are too few spectators and the organisation is poor here compared to in Germany.
Do you aspire to be a trainer or coach?
Not yet. But if this happened, I am more likely to become a match coach than a trainer. I prefer the match setting.
What will you do when you quit table tennis as a pro player?
I will continue within table tennis, but I do not know with what exactly. Perhaps as a coach or working for a manufacturer.
Do you regret anything in your career?
No, I am not that kind of person.
How would you rank today on the World Ranking?
Around 50.
Will you ever take part in World Championships for Veterans or similar?
I don’t think so.
You won the Swedish Championships in 2006, but didn’t take part in the Worlds. Why?
I had decided that before the win. My back is too weak these days for the kind of effort a World Championship bid requires. I know what such a bid calls for and I would not have managed that.
Why did you fail to appear at the US Open in 1997?
The organisation was frankly lousy and a lot of players left. I left because I wanted to show that the arrangement was simply too poor. Sometimes you have to do that. I would have liked to play the actual competition though, but it did not turn out like that.
Do you loose more close matches now than before? If so, why?
Yes, I loose more close matches these days. It is consequence of playing less matches. You simply loose mental and physical match fitness. That is the reason I look forward to Safir International and the Swedish Championships. It is good fun to compete.
How hard do table tennis players train compared to other sports? Compare with bowling, where some say you can be good without really hard training.
All sports require hard training. Everybody trains hard, but it is natural that some endurance sports require more time than other sports do. But to answer your question, I’d say that all elite level table tennis players are very, very fit and have always trained very hard.
Being a table tennis player it is very important to be properly fit and in trim to be able to maintain the concentration levels required of table tennis. Naturally, the shape your body is in affects other parts of the game as well.
*
Let’s cover a few personal questions. I have left out most of the ones not related to table tennis. This interview is about table tennis and not for a tabloid.
Why didn’t you get a driving license?
I was just about to complete it. I had done the driving and was able to drive, but missed the theoretical test. In the end the whole thing sort of fizzled out.
Who is the greatest talent in Sweden right now?
Mikael Appelgren, hahaha… No, that is too tough a question. We have many good ones.
What about Alexander Franzén and his prospects for the future?
He looks very good and it is great that he is competing internationally. It will be good fun to see him play doubles with Jörgen Persson at the Swedish Championships. (The pair eventually reached the semifinals).
Do you have any obsessions when you play table tennis?
No.
What makes you nervous when you play?
I don’t think like that. I am positive all the time. If you focus and work on the next point and try to win it, you won’t be nervous.
If you hadn’t played table tennis, what would you have done instead?
I would have played football, tennis or some other sport. Definitively something to do with a ball.
Do you recognise yourself in any international artists or sportsmen? I’m thinking about
Maradona, Roger Federer, Mick Jagger or someone like that. If so, why?
No, not really. All great sportsmen are special in their own way and by that I mean special in a good way.
You are sometimes portrayed as a loner. What do you think about that?
I am and I am not. When you don’t live in a relationship, that is perhaps what happens. I really enjoy people, but at the same time I like to stay in at home after a lot of travel. I really value time with myself. It all depends on how you see things and this is just my way.
How is your restaurant W doing? What is your favourite dish or drink on the menu?
The restaurant is closed at the moment as it is changing owners. We’ll see what happens. Anyhow, the meatballs are my favourite dish and I don’t have a favourite drink really.
Do you know what is going on in table tennis today? Do you watch it on TV, keep track of results, talk to other players or coaches, etc?
I keep a check on it constantly. I talk to the players in the Swedish team and look up results and video clips from the Pro Tour. I follow most of the stuff that is available. I watch TV a lot and discuss table tennis, both with older players who are now coaches and currently active players. I know what is going on.
What do you think of China? I imagine it is your second homeland. Is that correct?
I like China because table tennis is such a big thing over there. I have spent so much time in China and it is always great to be there.
Would you consider moving there permanently?
No, I am too fond of home.
How big a star are you in China, Germany and Sweden?
In China I am huge, in Germany I am semi-big and in Sweden it is the way it is.
*
Finally, we will deal with a few questions which may serves as tips for players.
How much do you need to practise to become good?
5-6 hours per day, six days a week from the age of 12-14. That means about 30 hours per week.
Which characteristics are important to make it big in table tennis?
A good sense for tactics and a feeling for the ball, good serve and returns, good footwork. If you have all that, then you are off to a good start.
What is good coaching advice during matches? Can coaching really influence the game?
Coaching is enormously important and a good coach is fundamental. Some people can be coached too much so you can not coach everybody the same way. Swedish table tennis is not up to scratch when it comes to this, to really have a feeling for the player. A coach really has to know the player to get a comprehensive picture of him and advice which may work for one player, may not work for another.
The same principle applies to training. You have to know the player properly to realise when you are pushing him or her too hard or not enough.
Imagine you are a happy forty-plus amateur. Should you practise to become better, to win tournaments or just play to have fun? You have to choose an answer.
In that case you should play to have fun and to get some exercise.
Med det var Jörgen utslagen och matchen mot Baum betydelselös. Jörgen hade haft bra chans att vinna den om han verkligen velat men motivationen var större hos Baum som vann en hård skiljematch där Jörgen inte slet ihjäl sig. Samtidigt så spelade Appelgren mot Crisan. Förutsättningarna var enkla. Ett set räckte för Appelgren för att ordna avancemang. Om Appelgren förlorar med 3-0 så blir det bollräkning och där är han körd då Ovtcharov slagit Crisan större än vad Appelgren vunnit över Ovtcharov.
Crisan behövde alltså i det läget bara vinna tredje set så skulle han vara vidare. Men som den ängsliga spelare han är så vek han ner sig. Appelgren startade återigen med 5-0 och när första bollen föll till Crisan så anade jag oråd men denna gång höll Appelgren undan och vann tredje set enkelt och var med det gruppvinnare och klar för semifinal mot Timo Boll som enkelt vunnit sin grupp mot Chen weixing och Torben Wosik.
Efter fotograferingen så bar det av till hallen där det tränades och byggdes friskt. Tävlingen skulle spelas på två bord med tre läktare runt borden. Fyra grupper med tre spelare i varje, gruppsegraren till semifinal.
