GOTHENBURG.

Sweden, May 4 : Sweden's Jan-Ove Waldner is attempting to become the first-ever holder of the Olympic and world singles titles later this month, reports AFP.

Waldner. 27, already holds the Olympic title after a straight-sets victory over Jean-Phillipe Gatien of France in Barcelona last year.

And he will have the backing of his home crowd In Gothenburg, Sweden, during the, World Championships, from May 11 -23 when he tries to win back the title he held four years ago.

As talented as John McEnroe, as deceptive as a con-man, and with a forehand as powerful as a Joe Louis punch, the smart money will be on Waldner.

Former world number-one Gatien, recently deposed by Waldner, was left helpless in the Olympic final by Waldner’s accurate blocking returns.

Waldner claimed after that performance: That was the best I have ever played — including my World Championship victory. But 1 would love to go on adding the world title to my Olympic crown."

If "big match" experience were the criteria to become world champion. Waldner might just as well take the gold medal home right now.

He appeared in his first European Under-14 final in Poznan. Poland in 1980, against compatriot Jorgen Persson, to spark off an intense "final" rivalry which has endured more than a decade.

Waldner won the European

junior titles from 1981-83, and even reached the final of the European senior championships before losing in four sets to three-times winner Mikael Appelgren in 1982.

He has appeared in the last three world finals, in 1987, when he lost to Jiang Jialiang

of China, before beating Persson for the title in 1989. Persson got his revenge in 1991.

Gothenburg was alpo the setting of the championships In 1985 when Waldner lost early to a lowly world-ranked Japanese player. He will relish the chance to make amends in front of his home crowd this time.

Anyone who has played against Waldner has to deal with his treacherously deceptive serves which are about as returnable as a perfect wine in a restaurant.

Even a player of Gatien s

class had no answer in that Olympic final.

Waldner was the pioneer of the "behind the back” service which bamboozled opponents in the early 80s.

He positioned himself so that opponents could not see the ball at the momeht of impact. This meant they could only guess whether topspin, sidespin, or backspln had been served.

Many copied his style, and the service was becoming so effective, it was banned after the 1985 World Champion-ships.

Like Romanian tennis star Ilie Nastase of the 60s or 70s. his talent is both obvious to the sporting layman, and at times aesthetic.

Many believe that on sheer talent, he is the greatest player ever.

Perhaps the Chinese may have something to say about that. But even Chuang Tse Tung, world champion in 1961, 1963 and 1965, did not have the Inborn ability of Waldner to hit a tiny celluloid ball over a 9 ft by 5 ft table.

And the only double winners since then, China’s Guo Yuchua, who won in 1981 and 1983, and Jiang Jialiang, who won the next two years, had nowhere near his natural flair.

He was bom at a time in table tennis history when the domination of Japan and China from the 50s to the m1d-80s. was wrested from their grasp by Sweden.

Few players can hit with sych power and spin on either wing, serve with such deception. and can vary and change tactics in the middle of a rally.