The sun was flowing hot outside the worn racket hall in Nacka. Inside the hall, the huge tempo and the high class of the duels were fought over two tables.

On the one hand, the Swedish super talent Truls Möregårdh, who on Sunday outclassed the World Cup finalist Mattias Falck, met 4-0 in SVT's "Challenger Meeting", and the German world player Dimitrij Otjarov, eleven in the world and as late as 2018 world title. On the table next door, Spanish one Alvaro Robles, 62nd on the world standings, met with Swedish Simon Berglund, who is a professional in the German second league, and a few steps from the national team.

The contrast to the third table was great. Two local veterans had big strangers in the hall and could sneak away to the big stars as they picked balls to start a new serve. 

Ovtjarov has a Swedish wife

31-year-old Ovtjarov has ties to Sweden with a Swedish wife (Jenny who for ten years was a member of the Swedish national team, then known by the surname Mellström). He has been in Stockholm for five weeks, devoted to tough training around five hours a day. Without coach.

- In Germany, there were tough restrictions and only one table was placed in the hall where two players could play for two hours before two new players could enter, Ovtjarov tells SVT Sport.

Ovtjarov is full of admiration for 18-year-old Möregårdh, who is not even in the top 100 of the rankings at the moment.

- He is Europe's biggest hope right now. He has been developing for just a couple of weeks and should be able to compete with the top 20-30 in the world but you have to remember that he is young and does not have the stability yet.

Möregårdh has had a key to the closed hall in Eslöv but gets the toughest possible sparring in Stockholm.

- Here it is important to win every ball and it is cool. Some only play balls but "Dima" is so focused and knows exactly what to do. I get even more and develop much of it, ”says Möregårdh.

"Now I'm the worst but take it as inspiration"

The Spanish one, Alvaro Robles, who plays a lot in Germany, is happy to be able to train in Stockholm.

- It's a dream to be able to train with such good players, he says smiling.

Sparring partner Simon Berglund has played in most of the halls in Stockholm, but is now experiencing something new.

- Before coming home I have been among the better in the training group. Now I am the worst but take it as inspiration and it is very fun to play at their pace, Berglund thinks.

During the training, perfectionist Ovtjarov arrived at Berglund and studied his racket very carefully and came with recordings.