Timo Boll

Timo Boll, a left-hander, was Europe's leading player for two decades, with heavy spin, exceptional ball control and a calm reading of the game. He was world number one in 2003 and, remarkably, again in 2018 at 37, the oldest man to hold the top ranking. He adapted to the larger ball and the plastic ball alike, played his last international event at the Paris Olympics and retired in 2025.