Who do you think is greater than Waldner?

[Michellius]

waldner is a reincarnation of god

Did God die?????

 

[Baal]

I also wouldn't really describe WLQ's style as really robotic, yeah he does everything really well and correctly, but he also does a lot of different flips and shots with placement that other players don't expect. And the fact that as the match progresses he gets progressively better and better, which shows that he is continuously thinking during the course of a match, continuously adapting his playstyle as needed, and that just doesn't sound robotic to me.

I completely agree with this (and with the fact that WLQ could play really long for another country). You don't win three world championships by being robotic!

 

[legislate]

JOW is the star of his time.
WLQ is the star of his time.
if time machine works and let the JOW at his prime vs WLQ at his prime, WLQ would win, because of table tennis game is being well researched on converging to a "best" way to play. Watch MMA and you'll see what I mean. Also with the ever increasing top spin in this game, there is less and less tricky things you can do.
JOW's longevity is amazing.
JOW would do whatever you don't like.
WLQ would do one thing and no one can handle.

why bother comparing them just sit back and enjoy!

a list of people that might be better than JOW: Kong, Liu Guoliang, Ma Lin, Wang Hao, Timo Boll...

 

[scylla24]

yeah I mean ultimately its useless to compare, because each generation has different playstyles and different equipment, though I do agree that as a sport develops it progresses, such that players now are way better than players before, both because their equipment is better but also because their training was more refined and more developed and everything has had time to improve from added accumulated knowledge.

That being side, its still kind of fun to debate rhetorically on these kinds of issues.

 

[Sunzi]

Who do you think is greater than Waldner? Or is he just simply the best?

Psychologically (and technique-wise) in ruling the match, nobody EVER is at Waldner's level! His tactics gave his opponents brain damage! Only the intelligent Chinese players such as Liu Guoliang could comprehend them.

 

[NextLevel]

Psychologically (and technique-wise) in ruling the match, nobody EVER is at Waldner's level! His tactics gave his opponents brain damage! Only the intelligent Chinese players such as Liu Guoliang could comprehend them.

You are replying to a post written over 15 years ago. It makes me wonder whether you are bot or not. Please don't engage in necromancy for the sake of posting. Thank you.

 

[PenHoldSandro]

You are replying to a post written over 15 years ago. It makes me wonder whether you are bot or not. Please don't engage in necromancy for the sake of posting. Thank you.

Haha, fair enough. Even his response sounds robotic lol.

However, back to the topic, RSM is certainly my favorite, but I would say by now Ma Long would be the GOAT.

 

[Colestt]

ma lin for me

I like wlq but you've gotta say his career was overlapping with and equal to ma lin. Could we call them china's greatest 1-2 punch? Ma was better for a but when he shaved his head

 

[Snek]

i think ma long will become the best player of all time

Madamada saw the future back in 2010!

 

[PenHoldSandro]

Madamada saw the future back in 2010!

time traveller

 

[mightymouse]

Yeah, I think Ma Long is the GOAT now.

But playing style and characteristics, I like European players more (and some Japanese). Chinese players are like factory made mechanical players (similar characteristics among their players). While European players have more varied styles (used to be, but now are more uniformed, due to the bigger plastic ball), such as Truls, Gauzy, etc. (or the great Waldner in the past). Don't forget Koki Niwa is also nice to watch for a change of style. A girl chopper, Honoka Hashimoto (correct spelling??) is also nice to watch now.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

cool style win!

and no one, and I mean no one is nonchalantly cooler than Koki Niwa!

 

[StreamOfWater]

Ma Long, no question. Zhang Jike could've probably gone even further, to the height no one has ever seen, he was a total abnormality that threw everyone through the window. Unfortunately, he was a candle that burned too bright