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Saw new proposal: “Must be”
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Singles World Cup table tennis can be ruled out.
That makes Jan-Ove Waldner, 54, respond.
– Changes will suffice now. Soon you don’t know inside or outside, says “J-O”.
It is Steve Dainton, president of the International Table Tennis Association (ITTF), who launches the controversial proposal. You want to remove individual table tennis from the World Cup and replace it with a design similar to tennis grand slams; three or four major competitions a year to be called “grand smash”.
“The big competitions will reach a broader audience,” Dainton said in a statement.
The idea has already been criticized by current World Cup silver medalist Mattias Falck and former world champion Jörgen Persson.
Photo: TT
Mattias Falck took the silver from the World Cup last year.
“Huge state”
Now Jan-Ove Waldner agrees with the criticism.
– I definitely do not think the World Cup should be eliminated. That championship has tremendously high status. Sure, the Olympics still peaks, as it is only held every four years, but the best players participate in the World Cup, it is shot by Chinese stars, and therefore it is highly prestigious to win. And has the World Cup been around since 1926? Still, these are strong traditions …, says J-O.
Are traditions important to safeguard?
– I think so. And there have already been so many changes in the sport. It has changed with balls, systems and everything that is. You hardly know what the game system is anymore. Do they run the best of five or the best of three?
“I need money”
However, J-O is not completely against a copy of the tennis Grand Slam deal.
– There is something interesting in the idea, but it should not happen at the expense of the World Cup. The World Cup is left! However, you would be welcome with several great competitions with bigger cash prizes. The question is where does the money come from? Sure, in Chinese leagues there are big prizes, but compared to sports like tennis and golf, you lie. You have to find sponsors who are willing to participate.
Do you see potential in ping pong? Can you claim against tennis in the long term?
– Curiously, ping pong is one of the most important sports. It is practiced worldwide. I notice on my Facebook pages that messages are being written from all countries. So, yes, basic interest is enough, but tennis, and golf too, is way ahead of development, especially in terms of television price and money.
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