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I have to start this off with a slightly controversial statement, whilst I always had great respect for him Timo Boll for many years wasn’t my favourite player. As a kid growing up it was Vladimir Samsonov and Wang Liquin tall men like myself and the evergreen Jan Ove Waldner but that answer is almost too easy!. However what Timo has been doing these last two seasons is truly remarkable! It's raising an interesting question where does the 2017-18 Timo compare to his 2002 counterpart where he made his international breakthrough winning The European championships for the first time then his first World Cup against Kreanga and Kong lingui respectively.
It’s arguably hard to look past 2005 Timo when he beat 3 Chinese in succession Liqin, Ma lin and Wang hao to lift his 2nd World Cup. However, I just had the pleasure of watching the German League final where Timo played Simon Gauzy one of the few Europeans in recent times who has caused Timo difficulties on more than one occasion.
The match that followed was outstanding in its simplicity but its execution was perfection. Gauzy's backhand receive arguably his greatest weapon Timo just systematically took it out of the game.
After 12 points Gauzy led 7-5 and Timo was clearly having trouble picking the direction of the Gauzy forehand in particular. From this point on Timo serve purely short 2nd bounce as close to whiteline as possible to Simon Forehand or long directly to Simon's backhand, whilst his tactics on receive were absolutely identical. His tactics were so clear yet he stuck to them relentlessly and they were working magnificently.
Simon was forced to lift his backhand which Timo countered directly putting him immediately on the front foot, or Simon would have to take a risk and try to play out if his comfort zone and rip backhands directly from high quality digs. What I loved so much about this was when Simon did rip a backhand you could see Timo either nod or do a similar reaction of admiration. He knew his opponent had excepted a brilliant shot and was basically enticing him to do it again. Simon simply could not live with him on this day and it was fascinating to see. I always say a chooing Timo is the best Timo and it was great to see how hungry he is even in when approaching what is probably the twilight of his career.
To wrap things up where do i think the current Timo is playing compared to his other iterations i would have to rate him at the very top. I think what he has achieved is astonishing and he may now be the most consistent player of all time if you take into account longevity a span of 16 years from 2002-18 as a top 5 level player. I think earlier 2002 he was more aggressive and faster as is understandable the vigour's of youth and also the fact he was brought up with the smaller ball and hidden service rule more emphasis was placed on aggression immediately in a rally i.e 3rd ball attack. However, considering that table tennis depth now is stronger than its ever been at also at a very highest level Ma Long is playing at level never before seen make me think this is the best and most complete Boll we have ever seen player.
It’s arguably hard to look past 2005 Timo when he beat 3 Chinese in succession Liqin, Ma lin and Wang hao to lift his 2nd World Cup. However, I just had the pleasure of watching the German League final where Timo played Simon Gauzy one of the few Europeans in recent times who has caused Timo difficulties on more than one occasion.
The match that followed was outstanding in its simplicity but its execution was perfection. Gauzy's backhand receive arguably his greatest weapon Timo just systematically took it out of the game.
After 12 points Gauzy led 7-5 and Timo was clearly having trouble picking the direction of the Gauzy forehand in particular. From this point on Timo serve purely short 2nd bounce as close to whiteline as possible to Simon Forehand or long directly to Simon's backhand, whilst his tactics on receive were absolutely identical. His tactics were so clear yet he stuck to them relentlessly and they were working magnificently.
Simon was forced to lift his backhand which Timo countered directly putting him immediately on the front foot, or Simon would have to take a risk and try to play out if his comfort zone and rip backhands directly from high quality digs. What I loved so much about this was when Simon did rip a backhand you could see Timo either nod or do a similar reaction of admiration. He knew his opponent had excepted a brilliant shot and was basically enticing him to do it again. Simon simply could not live with him on this day and it was fascinating to see. I always say a chooing Timo is the best Timo and it was great to see how hungry he is even in when approaching what is probably the twilight of his career.
To wrap things up where do i think the current Timo is playing compared to his other iterations i would have to rate him at the very top. I think what he has achieved is astonishing and he may now be the most consistent player of all time if you take into account longevity a span of 16 years from 2002-18 as a top 5 level player. I think earlier 2002 he was more aggressive and faster as is understandable the vigour's of youth and also the fact he was brought up with the smaller ball and hidden service rule more emphasis was placed on aggression immediately in a rally i.e 3rd ball attack. However, considering that table tennis depth now is stronger than its ever been at also at a very highest level Ma Long is playing at level never before seen make me think this is the best and most complete Boll we have ever seen player.
