Jan-Ove Waldner - Magic Shots (The Mozart)

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/ top8tt Jan-Ove Waldner (老瓦, (Lǎo Wǎ)) is a former table tennis player from Sweden. He is considered as one of the greatest table tennis players of all time. Waldner is famous for his elegant and effortless style of playing table tennis. His serve and blocking are his strongest part of the game. Waldner won a gold medal at Olympic Games 1992 in Barcelona.
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Jan-Ove Waldner Bio:
Born: October 3, 1965 (age 52), Stockholm, Sweden
Playing style: Shakehand grip
Other names: 老瓦 (Lǎo Wǎ)
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Waldner
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#waldner #top8tt #tabletennis

[@Top8TT]

I had to re-upload Waldner video because of issues with some points. I added a couple of extra points. Thank you! Enjoy!

[@Raeters]

The 2nd last player isn't J-O Waldner it is Jörgen Persson

[@moonlightyegui6904]

@@Raeters And why does the commentator say "Waldner found the table"?

[@frankwaugh1894]

Waldner was an absolute magician. To me the most naturally talented player of all time. A legend

[@daddad8485]

Not only one of the all time greats but a truly special human too. I made my debut v Sweden and he took time to come and congratulate me and also gave me his own Swedish pin (like an international cap) even though he didn't even know me. 30 years on, he's still my sporting hero :)

[@pontusschroder8361]

Curious question from a Swede, for what country did you compete?

[@vitzemba183]

1:53 most badass moment!

[@Terra101]

"Im better than you, i won.. bye..."

[@dumisedodan]

3:54 is even more humiliating. He doesn't even look to the table.

[@alejandroruiz2439]

It was like a "fuck this shit" moment.

[@rosamelfierro6093]

Waldner is Legend.

[@ThaiTran-ly2ok]

i think one of his hobbies is bullying Tim Boll =)). He did the same thing in the rematch in the recent year

[@JonasSahlstrom1]

When I was studying in Kalmar, a relatively small town in the south of Sweden, I flew back from a visit to my parents in Stockholm. When the plane landed in Kalmar Airport, it turned out that Jan Ove was at the same flight and everyone in luggage claim quite what they were doing and gave him a long applause. He was very well loved in his home town.

[@knowledgeisgood9645]

Born 3 October 1965 in Stockholm.

[@chrissantos1877]

No matter how much time passes, to me, 1:55 will always gonna be the best point of the entire history of table tennis!

[@2199SPUDMAN]

Agreed... arguably one of the best. That whole body-fake of just walking and blocking at the same time is just enough to completely distract Boll for a split second...and that's all you need. More like chess than table tennis...just beautiful to watch. I've copied the move many times to score points.

[@christopherx7428]

I have seen him doing something similar but even more astonishing. The body language was the same, walking away and not seeming interested at all but hit the ball into the diagonal end of the table with his back towards the table! Waldner was really a genius in tabletennis.

[@frankdevries5739]

My all time favorite is here also. 2.22

[@dickn.ormous1064]

He has played better points against other lefties,1994 Euro vs Gatien for example. Against Boll it was like cheating 'cause Boll was all spin little speed which played straight into his game.Even Moregard can pull such shots against Boll.

[@SupersonicFlyTV]

Chess on Speed @@2199SPUDMAN

[@dealerovski82]

Too bad he didnt play in the HD era of television or future 4K

[@HarryWizard]

hahaha HD era of table tennis? there is no such thing even in 2019

[@KOREGA]

@@HarryWizard ye thank ITTF

[@torvilasulvstle362]

Dette er en svenske å se opp til! Fantastisk!

[@yasinhenfs4540]

ITTF hasnt even discovered 1080p yet

[@johanmagnusson87]

you dont need HD to see his opponents running side to side

[@filipcza]

This is not technique, this is art. It's so much fun to watch such touch and placement. I have played this sport on a competition level and I can actually "feel" how difficult those returns from Waldner are. He always puts the ball where you don't expect or want it. He also uses his body to misdirect his opponent as to where he is going to put the ball next or what is going to happen next. Here is a perfect example of how his body language tells his opponent "This rally is already over and I'm going to go and drink some water". This makes Timo hesitate just a bit and that is all it takes in this sport to lose the point. : 1:55 This leads to situation where most of the time waldner just stands there and you run like crazy after the ball and the longer the rally lasts, the harder it gets for you. Truly amazing! it's sad that this style is, to my knowledge, extinct. All you see now is just hit the ball harder and then hit the ball even harder until someone makes a mistake. Not nearly as enjoyable as this!

[@ayushkrishnanchakravarthy5548]

The change to the plastic ball is probably the reason - it gives a harder contact on the rubber so playing with Waldner level feel and anticipation is extremely difficult. I would say Timo Boll has a similar level of feeling as so have the top Chinese players (ML, FZD). The game has changed to a much more fast paced and reaction based game. With Harimoto, I guess playing a Waldner type game would be still more challenging. But yes, he is a legend.

[@terencepippo6544]

8

[@dickn.ormous1064]

​@@ayushkrishnanchakravarthy5548 Boll is nowhere near Waldner in terms of touch, his short game and blocking are very average.His defensive-counterattacking abilities have always abysmal.The only European who has good touch is Samsonov yet his return of serve can be poor. Chinese and Japanese players are pretty good in this department although they can΄t use spin the way Waldner did. Waldner could drive his opponents into the stands with extreme angles,his sense for trajectories was more like a tennis player a sort of mcEnroe or Federer of TT. The Chinese mostly play to the body/middle,Waldner played either down the line with full confidence or extreme angles which is much more difficult.

[@omare_biketonature]

Ayush Krishnan Chakravarthy Koki Niwa has a similar way of playing not on the level of Waldner though.

[@kronblomqqq]

@@omare_biketonature - please give his full name.

[@suatkayatennis]

Waldner sustained a world-class level for 3 decades. Facing 3-4 breeds of new and world-class players from China plus the rest of the world and defeating them all. Waldner faced massive game-changing factors including; Speed glue, change of ball size, new high tech rubbers, new scoring system and adapted to all with great success. Waldner also reached the highest-level TT had ever seen in his prime and raised the level a few times. Waldner was far more creative and constantly developing his game by reinventing himself. This gave him the ability to beat world class players and compete for major titles up until he was 45 years old. Waldner did not come from a nation of 200 million TT players. He did not have the best infrastructure such as China and yet from a small TT community in Sweden he enabled himself to become the greatest player anyone had ever seen back in the ’80s-’90s and early ’00s.

[@rosamelfierro6093]

It was the Waldner vs China competition era and he won it. That is why he is so great, but then came a young one named Ma Long to share the number 1 place with him.

[@ndanda1693]

Bullshit Bullshit Bullshit Bullshit A bit of truth in there.

[@CeRz]

@@ndanda1693 your existence is bullshit, disappear please.

[@brunospasta]

He is good, but "the greatest player anyone had ever seen (in his time)" might be a bit high fetched.

[@filipidiego46]

Well....behold a Man who has a free admission in china

[@samzhang5698]

Chinese old friend , we Chinese like him ! He is a TALENT!

[@a2140416]

And I wish to see him playing against the current Chinese players!

[@yeagerist977]

@@a2140416 he would get mauled

[@stevest8675]

Agree. Friend.

[@assassin_5656]

​@@yeagerist977No. His quick direction changes would mop the floor with current competition

[@chenyu-sheng2127]

Jan-Ove Waldner is one of the most talented player in table tennis history--probably the most talented. Love his badass attitude after playing epic shots. He was like "well, that's no big deal". Among table tennis players around the world nowadays, we can hardly find players who got such talent. And those rare ones include Koki Niwa and Xu Xin. However, in my opinion, Jan-Ove Waldner is the true genius considering these three talented players.

[@alantaylor6691]

Is Ma Lin in the top 3 or 4?

[@F4llk3N]

Chen Yu-Sheng I like your name bro it sounds like a ninja name and don't take that compliment like a left wing feminist on a Mcdonalds diet.

[@alantaylor6691]

F 4 Maybe like something out of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"?

[@F4llk3N]

The warrior Li Mu-bai has a magic sword being stolen and, together with his female friend Yu Shu-lien, he tries to find the mysterious Jade Fox and her assistant, the young Jen.

[@bankabaver4583]

No, he is the most talented player ever ;-)

[@bjornohlsson3619]

Saive once said in an interview: When a tt player has a good day he knows what the opponent is thinking. When JO has a good day he knows what the ball is thinking

[@2199SPUDMAN]

You are correct. Waldner seemed to have an uncanny instinct for knowing which counter-stroke was necessary to neutralize any spin. His mastery of touch was unequaled as was his placement and control. In many ways, he was a minimalist who only applied what energy was necessary to win a point, no more and no less. It's that economy and purity that make his play look so effortless.

[@RoshanKumar-ri8js]

He is just wonder with his hand without moving his feet much. I just love watching him play wonders. Players like Federer and him are loved by all for transforming the game, where every shot looks so easy.

[@EmilNeander]

I'm still proud of that moment when I got to meet him as a kid, and also had my table tennis racket signed. An icon!

[@sep1986]

2:04 like a boss 3:57 No-Look 5:49 NO WAY he returned that shot!

[@CTStyles31]

He makes it look so effortless. I've never played TT seriously, but even at a glance it is easy to see why many consider him to be the greatest ever.

[@hakanniemi8369]

He IS the greatest ever and part of the team who exterminated the "chinese wall" on the 80:s!

[@JunixZzHD]

1:54 Not the slightest care in the world and even less sympathy for the opponent. Love the walk off as well.

[@IamSuperEffective]

Opponent is just left speechless lmao

[@zsh2926]

That opponent is Timo Boll who beat Ma long and the top Chinese players lol

[@karnewsletters3328]

Hehe looks badass, but the real reason is that he is hiding his shot direction . If he aligns a stance before the return, the opponent would be prepared .

[@dyiu38]

Waldner and Zidane are my most favorite sport players because they played beautiful arts in their matches.

[@gugi233]

When it comes to blocks in table tennis Waldner is in a league of his own. No one comes even remotely close. Absolutely insane soft hands and reaction, let alone imagination.

[@kris_py]

The amount of minimal effort but brilliance put into those plays.. Excellence at its finest.

[@badmiyagi]

Jan-Ove Waldner the ultimate maestro and Mozart of Table Tennis. A genius and a master by any definition and in any sport. Cheers!

[@paulanthony1689]

Waldner is the GOAT, there will never be another

[@calmtree6521]

After ma long 2nd gold medal your delusional if you think waldner is better

[@hackapump]

I’ll never forget his last Olympics: He was much older than the opponents and had the most pronounced dad bod in the whole Olympic village, (except for the throwers in track & field) - the audience gasped when he changed shirts. Yet he toyed with the opponents, thanks to his exquisite reading of the game, and he actually reached the semifinals. Incredible feat that shouldn’t even be possible. Tells you a lot about his unique talent.

[@TheMoonchild1969]

The way his blocks were able to change the acceleration in and off the ball is both a triumph in Physics and Religion.

[@shanghunter7697]

^^^This right here folks^^^

[@angela1984a]

No. Religion is a Complete and Utter Delusion.

[@joncaju]

Here is a man who truly understands what the sports of ping pong is. Much respect from the Chinese to the legendary Evergreen Tree🌲 🏓

[@theviniso]

My favorite player of all time. Simply brilliant.

[@pandiatonizm]

No wonder he is loved in Asia, he moves with a precision of a great sword warrior, slashing competitors into pieces, beautiful to watch!!

[@user-fg7st9fd2d]

This guy is a living thug life meme

[@elmoblatch9787]

No. No he's not.

[@staffan144]

@@elmoblatch9787 u r not

[@God-gi9iu]

Ofoo

[@mariomoraga3891]

@@elmoblatch9787 The smooth walk on Timo is for you too. 😎😎😎

[@mariomoraga3891]

@@elmoblatch9787 Absolutely a living thug life meme

[@williammaguire3452]

He is not even using much energy. His opponent is working very hard.

[@MAXIMEIJ]

You know he's living in another dimension when he makes everything look super easy

[@SANPARR1]

Great, fantastic, Waldner

[@seheyser]

This guy is f... amazing! Never seen anyone play like him.

[@enematwatson1357]

And you won't ever see his like again. Because of his sheer genius but also because the game just moved on.

[@dickn.ormous1064]

The closer would be Schlager in highlights because he lost most of his matches.

[@satanihelvetet]

Great video of a great player! As a Swede I'm very proud of how many world class players we had at the 80's and 90's, as Jörgen Persson, Mikael Appelgren and with JO at the very top. Those three toghether had 15 gold, 15 silver and 5 bronze 1983-2001, only the world championship medals counted.

[@atvheads]

Äpplet.

[@ikarljoseph]

Got to say," Excellent video", shows how super JO Waldner truly was and is. A wonder to watch as a teenager and in his forties.

[@obiwan88]

In Stars Wars terminology, maestro Waldner is a Jedi Master that is One with the Ball...

[@staffan007]

So brilliant. The Mozart of table tennis for sure!

[@tammo100]

Somehow this came up in my algorithm. Thanks. Incredible. I think his skill and understanding of the game is the best a sportsman of whatever sport ever has achieved. And he just stands there and hits everything.

[@thyagarajankrishnan6099]

He is the Federer of TT

[@Natureforce8]

More like the Pete Sampras.

[@alejandroruiz2439]

If you ask me, this is way harder than what Roger does on court.

[@JAYDEV402]

actually, federer is the 'waldner' of tennis...

[@lizardbyheart2817]

I don't think that is so accurate. Federer beasted through generations even with changes and facing age.

[@Keepcalm-lovesports]

@@lizardbyheart2817 and Waldner got through ball changes, new scoring system, age, racket technology differences (not comparable to tennis) and after all this he won bronze at the Olympics in his late 30s beating top players in the process

[@bogdantenev2847]

Pure genius!For me best ever!With such finesse,efortless!Woooow!!!😇😇😇

[@KenHarrington32]

Loved EVERY shot he played, thanks for the upload.

[@tanvirhussain8763]

The best tribute I've seen so far of Waldner! Top quality video from you as always ! :) Thumbs Up

[@michaelcouture2927]

Tanvir Hussain i

[@fanatamon]

I love table tennis this is fantastic, pure craftsmanship.

[@ddas7974]

Waldner is like the Bradman of Table Tennis.A true artist

[@user-ri1oy5fw3s]

I am Chinese ，Born in the 1980s. China has countless world championships, but my favorite table tennis player is Waldner since my childhood.

[@michalem637]

Amazing. I used to play ping-pong in my primary school, aproximately 30 years ago. Appreciate. Amazing!

[@74Alexei]

Good, no better, oh no The Best! He is amaizing!!!

[@rosamelfierro6093]

I love talented players and Waldner is the best.

[@user-gx4gl8fl4e]

Jan-Ove Waldner is pure genius. Extrodinary level, and fantasy in rallies.

[@fredrikwallin1691]

Brings a smile to my face. Thanks J-O.

[@justme5272]

4:55 What a Spiiiin.. 😳

[@johnduff1564]

Best player of all time, what a legend !

[@iuwdbwudbvhwduivhbwduivbii431]

Only the best player of his generation !

[@glennjonsson1819]

His generation lasted longer than most though. Euro runner-up in early 1980's and retiring some 30 years later. Often injured, sometimes lazy but always produced sparks of brilliance. No-one in table tennis has matched the magic hands of J O.

[@Natureforce8]

john duff If you take achievements into account, Waldner is the third best player of all time, wich is a very honorable place. He is a phenomenal player anyway.

[@loyskie676]

I think you were born just today, try watching all of Waldner videos and you see the difference of today's players.

[@dickn.ormous1064]

@@Natureforce8 Titles wise he is the second best player ever but no one is his right mind would ever consider Ma Long to be the best ever cause he had joke competition once Wang Hao retired.

[@hallsterr]

He makes it look so effortless. What a player.

[@OfficialPuvve]

One of exceptionally few reasons to be proud about being from Sweden.

[@martindrengubiack9149]

..and abba

[@OfficialPuvve]

@@martindrengubiack9149 I shall agree to this good sir!

[@alexccmeister7595]

Best table tennis player I have seen. Wowzer!!

[@Michel1414100]

My favorite athlete in ping pong, amazing eyes hands quickness even at 55.

[@Tobbedans]

That last point is fantastic. Wow !!

[@akirakurosawa2791]

the smartest player for ever :)

[@jellycoding]

Will there ever be any one as good as he was? Will he be the best forever?

[@yehenry2281]

no, he is legend, even Chinese players are inferior to him

[@mareverticale]

The most talented player ever. For sure the best backhand in history of the game.

[@kristofferhellstrom]

This makes me nostalgic man. Hopefullt Trulls will give me some new memories :)

[@Exclusifs]

His peak level is the highest ever for sure. And he had such a rare personality to his play style; sort of nonchalantly cocky.

[@carpetclimber4027]

00:50 He switched to his left hand. Amazing.

[@staffan144]

0:48

[@acrididi]

Thank you for watching?! Thank you for doing it man!! You rock!!

[@askingwhyisfree7436]

One of the most entertaining table tennis player.

[@evaschmidt6807]

Jan ove Wälder! Thank you! Never seen someone like you!!! Thank you so much!

[@smoe5584]

Waldner* lol

[@gonzalolibano6505]

Wowww...I remember I watched Waldner when he was 17 years old, it should be around 1982 in a top 12 European championship tournament in Barcelona...I remember him (4th place), and I remember an veteran and fantastic French player...I think his name was Secretin (maybe wrong spelling), he was an artist...Waldner was the youg promise...He complied with the expectations by far...what a player!

[@2601YTITTI]

Wow so many legandary shots in this video!

[@FD1CE]

A real magician!

[@johhh1a9]

i have met him in Sweden he is the most normal guy, that's why i love him, i got his autograph. Görgen Persson who wom with Waldner is from my home town i am proud!! :)

[@Ergil89]

Görgen 🙄

[@andymcneil7085]

Absolute legend.

[@pongbond9761]

The world will never had a god like this anymore.

[@ajitbhale8211]

Mozart...No word more apt than this to describe Jan Ove

[@feuerwillen9918]

The only non Chinese grand slam winner in the history of table tennis. He is a legend.

[@yehenry2281]

Waldner choose of placement is so bizarre and well working.

[@trollhorn1977]

When I was a child, he was playing for ATSV Saarbruücken and he was the reason why I started playing table tennis. (Sorry for my bad english)

[@claudioarmenio1633]

Incredible it's Like play'n chess while running...this is art!

[@jajlertil]

Claudio Armenio I played both table tennis and chess when I was younger and always thought there where a lot of similarities, still do. The serve you choose (if well executed) limits the options of the opponents return which in turn dictates what you’re able to do with your next strike etc etc. until something unexpected happens and you have about 1 second to rethink everything.You always have to think several moves or strikes ahead to beat a good opponent and use his weaknesses against him. Not to even mention executing your plan. The sport really is a beautiful marriage between theory/tactics and physical execution, on a high level demanding in every way

[@angelatanurdzic7508]

Unglaublich Jan-Ove.👍

[@japeking1]

Thank you.....amazing to see such ability....but we should acknowledge ( I don't know how ) that great opponents are needed to showcase the Waldner wonder.

[@stege9979]

Chang Qing Shu, Det evigt gröna trädet, som många kineser kallade honom.

[@justdev8965]

Man, this was insane to watch. Unreal. How can a person be that quick?

[@weimarutube]

This guy is amazing!!

[@fundhund62]

Those were magical times. You had Waldner in table tennis, McEnroe in tennis, and Maradona in soccer! Probably the three greatest talents their respective sports have ever seen, all in one era!

[@hardc00re10]

As a Swede those times were something special. Watching McEnroe battling it out with our Björn Borg one day, and the next watching JO crushing the best. Very small sports in Sweden before those two as well.

[@simonbloch1497]

The Federer of Table tennis The elegance and the pure talent

[@bharatvarsha7]

why i feel like i have never seen anybody play TT like that, so much in control, so many trick shots, so much overpowering

[@loukas371]

Amazing video, thank you!

[@Zack-pc6vn]

Hello Top 8 TT! I really enjoy your videos!

[@arnevarga6555]

Uh

[@dauneauguy-clair8753]

Such a clever and talented player !!!

[@tamosahara111]

king of table tennis

[@williampan5438]

A great table tennis artist!!!! Love him!

[@klasnikof]

to be able to play table tennis at this level would be soo much fun I can imagne :)

[@Stenhunden]

klasnikof I was thinking the opposite, I imagine him retired now with a table at home with absolutely no one to play because he is unmatched even as a senior.

[@kernzyp]

That last rally was supreme. What a recovery!

[@stefandryszel9286]

Thank u for this ❤❤

[@chifaiman1126]

I saw him and Jorgen Persson playing in real life for demonstration here in the Netherlands in 2010. It was magical!

[@milanmarkovic9491]

Respect for ever, for all time!

[@dgontar]

He's the best ever. I remember seeing him for the first time. It was around 1985 at my grandmother's house.

[@user-ps1kr5lq7u]

love his style

[@Emjee51617]

TACK JO .. för allt bra spel å dina matcher 🇸🇪👍💪 and YES he was from Sweden

[@jonathanrex]

Out of this world. What a joy to watch. Jan Ove has the artistry just like Federer has in Tennis.

[@TrickysBen]

Literally the most lethal side spin block I've ever seen in my life

[@cmalc8]

There's only one word: WOW !