Interview with Sweden’s Jorgen Persson

1991 World Men’s Singles Champion · 1989, 1991, 1993 & 2000 World Team Champion

By Larry Hodges

Jorgen Persson (L) defeats Werner Schlager in the team competition at the Worlds. Copyright 2001 by Diego Schaaf.

What are your thoughts on the new service rules, where they will outlaw hidden serves?

Jorgen: I think maybe it’s a little too much at the moment. They changed to the new ball in the middle of the season, and now it’s maybe too many changes in such a short while. But, of course, if they can make the service rule easier … but mainly I think they should make it easy for the umpire to see easily if it’s an illegal serve or not.

You think it might be a good rule, but maybe too soon?

Jorgen: Yeah, too soon. I think they should take more time to develop it, and maybe try it and test it with umpires to see if it works, to see if it is easier to see if it is a wrong service or not.

What do you think about the new eleven-point game rule?

Jorgen: I think it’s an OK idea. A good idea. It can make more interesting points during the match, no dead points, that can be good for all I think. Players, spectators, media, TV.

This is probably the first really big tournament with the 40mm ball where everyone is used to the 40mm ball. What styles do you think, in general, it helps and which it hurts?

Jorgen: In general I don’t think there are so many big changes. You don’t see longer rallies. We’ve only played with it half a year, so you can still see a lot of mistakes which players would not do normally. But I think players are getting more used to it. But still, it takes time.

So it’s not really a huge difference.

Jorgen: No, not a huge difference.

For you and Waldner, what are your future plans after the Worlds? Are you both planning to continue, retire, or what?

Jorgen: No, I will continue to play, but in what circumstances I don’t know yet. I will probably decide after the Worlds. For sure I will continue to play. I will see after this if I want to continue to play internationally, or if I want to play more in clubs.

Are there any up-and-coming players in Sweden, juniors or youth players, who might someday reach the same level you and Waldner have reached?

Jorgen: Oh yeah, we have some. Two of them are here: Fredrik Hakansson and Magnus Molin, and there is Jens Lundqvist also, and some other good guys. One guy won the European Top Twelve, a junior, Robert Svensson, so we have some coming. Yahh – Svensson – we have a lot of Svenssons in Sweden. [Note – I’d earlier joked with Persson that I’d thought that Asa and Marie Svensson, the top two women in Sweden, were sisters. Persson was joking about this.]