Very few in competitive sports could've won over the opposition's fans, let alone get them to enjoy his rallies, even against their own player, like he has.
German table tennis legend Timo Boll, as arguably the longest-standing international foe of the mighty Chinese program, has done it all and, somehow, ended up a fan favorite in the home country of his toughest rivals during an illustrious career, which came to an end on Sunday after his last domestic league match in Frankfurt.
Despite bowing out with a narrow 3-2 defeat to rival club TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen in the German league final, Boll has signed off his evergreen career as a respected winner, with four Olympic medals, two World Cup crowns and 20 European titles, among many other accolades bearing his name.
What really elevates the 44-yearold's legacy, though, is his strong presence as a spearhead of the world's charge against China's dominance in table tennis, almost singlehandedly, for three decades.
From his inaugural World Cup win in 2002, stunning red-hot Chinese favorites Wang Liqin and Kong Linghui in succession, to a fun practice session with reigning world champion Wang Chuqin on his latest appearance in China during the WTT tour's Chongqing leg in June last year, Boll has built a rarely-seen rivalry, among all sports, with generations of China's best since the early 2000s.
His humble demeanor, sportsmanship and interest in Chinese culture, contrasting his fierce playing style, have also helped him form a deep emotional bond with his fan-base in the world's most powerful table tennis nation.
No wonder the farewell message, following his last dance at the table on Sunday, has sparked trending reactions from fans, former rivals and pundits alike on Chinese social medial platform Weibo, where the hashtag "Boll officially retires" had more than 10 million views as of Wednesday afternoon.
"I really appreciate the Chinese fans' love and support across borders and cultures. Thank you for your thunderous cheers over the years," Boll wrote in the post, which was liked by a group of current Chinese players, including reigning Olympic men's singles champion Fan Zhendong and women's world No 1 Sun Yingsha.
"Every clash with a great opponent (from China) has been one of my most cherished honors," Boll wrote in Chinese and German to his over 800,000 followers on Weibo.
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Boasting versatility, precision and tactical finesse, the left-hander has proved a rare European force, one who has posed legitimate threat to China's stranglehold on major international titles on a consistent basis over the past two decades, highlighted by his 2002 and 2005 World Cup triumphs, won against multiple Chinese stars on both occasions.
Former Chinese Table Tennis Association president Liu Guoliang, following Boll's 2005 Cup win, described the German as "the most fearsome opponent" of the Chinese men's team, and that his emergence on the world stage had always left him "sleepless".
Thanks to those milestone victories, Boll first became the world No 1 in 2003, and has reached the pinnacle of the men's rankings on two more occasions, most recently in 2018, when he became the oldest No 1 in history at 36 years old.
Chinese fans acknowledge Boll as a positive presence for the game's global promotion, as well.
"We cheered for him because he's always trying, despite losing most of the time. Chinese players have won too many times, but he never gives up. If he can win some titles, the game will be more fun to watch," said Cui Zhiheng, leader of a Shanghai-based Boll fan group. "I am proud to be the one who could sometimes beat the Chinese and to be a good opponent. It's a good competition for me, as well as a good motivation to play against the Chinese," Boll said in an earlier interview with Chinese internet portal NetEase.
Having played for teams like Jiangsu and Shandong in the Chinese super league since 2011, Boll has picked up some basic Chinese and has found a liking for Chinese food, such as mahua, the fried dough twist, and Peking roast duck.
"I think I have been very fair during my whole career to the Chinese fans. I try to give back to them by signing a lot of autographs and taking pictures. I always try to be nice to them, and, now, they give me something back," Boll said of his popularity in China.
"That's very unusual, so I am very grateful to them."
At the Olympics, China has dominated the sport since it was introduced as a medal event in 1988, winning 37 of the 42 gold medals on offer over the years. Led by Fan, women's singles stars Chen Meng and Sun, Team China swept all five golds at last summer's Paris Games.
Boll never quite reached those heights on the Olympic stage, mostly due to China's ruthless prowess at the Games, but has still embraced his bitter rivals' native country as a "second home".
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"You can see I still have some tears in my eyes," Boll said during last year's WTT Chongqing event.
"I always call China my second home. I've been here so many times, and I have learned so much from my Chinese opponents and my experiences playing here.
"All of this made it so emotional," he said, adding: "And so hard to, maybe, say goodbye."
