[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Jan-Ove Waldner is considered by many to the best server and player of all-time. Someone from Waldner’s home club in Sweden, Angby, told me his wrist is so flexible that he can put his hand flat on his forearm which may be a reason his serves are so hard to read even for world-class players.
Both Waldner and Persson spearheaded the break in Chinese dominance in the sport when Sweden won 3 consecutive World team titles in 1989, 1991, and 1993 and the World title again in 2000. Waldner became World Men’s Singles Champion in 1989 and 1997 and Persson in 1991. Both Waldner and Persson faced off against each other in the Worlds men’s singles final in 1989 and 1991 splitting them right when I began playing seriously. Waldner also won Olympic gold in 1992 and silver in 2000 in men’s singles and is a household name in Sweden and China. Persson finished in 4th place twice in men’s singles at the Olympics in 2000 and 2008 so just missed out an Olympic medal.
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Pictured with World Champions and legends Jan-Ove Waldner (right) and Jorgen Persson (left) in the 1990s.I have been at their home clubs in Sweden, Angby and Falkenberg, many times and have played with all the other major Swedish World Champions but unfortunately never with them. I have practiced with and played many games (won a few) with Waldner’s best friend and World Champion teammate Mikael Appelgren at Angby. I was roughly 50-50 in practice games with Waldner’s long-time practice partners and Angby teammates Patrick Torsell and Linus Eriksson. I have also practiced at Falkenberg with World Champions Peter Karlsson and Erik Lindh where I also received coaching from World Champions Stellan Bengtsson extensively as well as Ulf Tickan Carlsson. Besides receiving coaching often from Stellan, one of my highlights from the Falkenberg trip was going 1-1 in games to 7 with Peter Karlsson as he won one game 7-5 and I won one game 7-4 when we played.
Now both Waldner and Persson are retired from international play and here they are having some fun in the Legends Tour!
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