Timo Boll
2002 Boll took part in the Europe-Top-16, where he won the singles category. By doing so he also overtook the at that time best German table tennis player Jörg Rosskopf, meaning he became the best German table tennis player himself. At the European Championships 2002, he won gold in the singles and doubles, the German team lost in the final to Sweden. With winning at the World Cup 2002 in Jinan, he became no. one in the world. At the European Championships 2003, Timo Boll lost already in the 2nd round against Vladimir Samsonov- of course this also meant that he lost the 1st place in the world ranking again.