Name Jan-Ove Waldner
Date of birth 1965 | 10 | 03
Place of birth Stockholm, Sweden
Nationality Swedish
Height 179 cm
Weight 83 kg
Actual club
Biggest Success
Olympic Gold medalist Singles 1992
Silver medalist Singles 2000
6 times World Champion (2x singles 1989 + 1997, 4x team 1989, 1991, 1993, 2000)
11 times European Champion (1x singles 1996, 7x team, 3x doubles)
World-Cup Winner 1990
7 times Europe Top 12 Winner
25 times Swedish Champion (9x singles, 6x doubles, 2x mixed doubles, 8x team)
If there was no Jan-Ove Waldner he would have to be invented.
His unique touch for the ball, his enormous creativity, his immaculate technique and his fantastic anticipation always made his play look effortless and elegant, nonchalant and superior, in one word: cool.
His inimitable abilities helped him win all titles the world of table tennis offers and more than that: He is undoubtedly the best table tennis player of all time, fans all over the world love and adore him.
"I was the last player the Chinese really feared."
In China, which climbed up to be the undisputed leading nation only after the era of Jan-Ove Waldner and Jörgen Persson, JO is known by his nickname Evergreen, because he bested several generations of Chinese superstars.
In 2013 China dedicated a stamp to him. Waldner was the first foreigner ever to receive this honour, and more than three million copies were sold on the very first day.
It seems odd that there is no Waldner-Comic yet, for he is undoubtedly the superhero of table tennis.
A few weeks before the World Championships 1989 were held in Dortmund, the German magazine DER SPIEGEL published a preview with the headline: "Favourite: Mozart".
Waldner fulfilled all expectations, winning the most precious titles: men’s singles and team event (with Sweden). He belonged to the top players of the world for two and a half decades. Mozart remained his nickname, but for DONIC he is foremost a good friend by now.
"To me DONIC is friendship, family."
DONIC was Waldner’s partner from childhood, he achieved all great successes with equipment from the German traditional brand, and his invaluable experience helps DONIC in designing new equipment for years.
To enable young talents to follow Jan-Ove Waldner’s steps.
