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Waldner calls it quits
SHANGHAI: The crowd of 4,000 spectators in the Shanghai Gymnasium were almost driven crazy when Wang Liqin eased past his first-round opponent in the men's singles competition, but Liu Nannan, a table tennis fan, was weeping in the corner of the stands. Although regarded lucky by her classmates as she was able to watch the tournament yesterday on the spot, the 18-year-old college student was sad as her idol, Swedish Jan-Ove Waldner, announced his retirement from international competition after the championships. "I knew he would quit world competitions sooner or later, but I really cannot imagine not seeing him anymore," Liu said tearfully. Liu started following Waldner when she watched Sweden won the team championship in 1997 on TV. The guts Waldner showed when facing the formidable Chinese players deeply impressed her. "He is a tragic hero as he has been in the shadow of Chinese players for most of the time," she said. "But he wouldn't give up and tried his best to break the Chinese dominance. "I don't think there is any European player who can fill the void he leaves, and I will miss him." Liu is just one of the thousands of Waldner fans in China. Dubbed "Old Wa" in China, Waldner was a household name because of his long-time confrontations with Chinese paddlers. He travelled to China numerous times since his first visit to Shanghai 27 years ago for basic ping-pong training. No wonder local fans treat him like family. "I've never considered him as an opponent to China, not like others Timo Boll (from Germany) or Jean-Michel Saive (from Belgium)," said Su Rihong, a 38-year-old fan from nearby Hangzhou, who came to Shanghai just to see Waldner. "I always expect him to win all his tournaments even though he always gave the Chinese men a hard time and sometimes made us very sad. "He is so old but still plays at a high level. That's the incredible thing in China." Waldner made the announcement during an interview Sunday. "I will quit from Sweden's national team after the Championships," he said. "I have yet to decide whether to leave the sport completely or not, but there is one thing for sure: that I will never compete with top Chinese players on the same table. "Maybe as I will play some low-level tournaments in Europe as long as I am in good form." Waldner, 40, has played against four generations of Chinese players, from former world champion Jiang Jialiang in the 1980s, when he was named the "European prodigy", to current world No 1 and 2 Wang Liqin and Ma Lin, who call him jokingly as "Uncle Wa" because of a nearly 20-year age gap. Many Chinese paddlers, including 1996 Atlanta Olympics singles champion and now head coach of China's men's team Liu Guoliang, shot to fame at home by beating Waldner in major tournaments. "Chinese players are definitely the most formidable in the world, but I am still satisfied with my prolonged career," Waldner said. "I think it is glorious enough." With an unprecedented 19-year professional career, Waldner was the first grand slam winner of singles titles, winning the World Championships (1989, 1997), the World Cup (1990) and the Olympic Games (1992). The veteran had a stunning great run in the Athens Olympics last year, beating three top-seeded Chinese players in singles and doubles in just one day. He defeated Ma Lin 4-1 in singles and with his partner, Jorgen Persson, ousted Kong Linghui and Wang Hao 4-1 to enter the quarter-finals. Enjoying the game Having appeared in each of the past five Olympics since table tennis was introduced in Seoul in 1988, Waldner is now motivated by happiness in the sport rather than gold medals or championships. Although he has an unfavourable draw as he will meet the newly-crowned European title holder Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus before the quarter-finals, Waldner is having more fun in the Championships. "I am still 100 per cent focusing on table tennis, and I just hope I can play at my level," he said. "It certainly would be great to win a championship in China, especially in Shanghai, but it depends on many conditions. "I enjoy table tennis every time I play. I am deeply in love with it, and it gives me a lot of enjoyment." The Shanghai event will also mark the last time Waldner will team with Persson, who has been his doubles partner on the world stage since 1986. The two helped Sweden win the team title in 1989, 1991, 1993 and 1999. The Swedish duo suffered an early exit from the Shanghai tournament yesterday, going down to Adrian Crisan and Vasile Florea of Romania 4-1 in a second round action. Despite speculation they can hardly hold off the Chinese golden pair's severe challenge, Waldner expressed his confidence towards the coming showdown, saying he will have a better chance in the doubles. "Of course they are the best pair in the world, but Jorge and I have also achieved very good results in the top tournaments," Waldner said. "I think we still have a chance to beat them."
(China Daily 05/03/2005 page8)
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