Dimitrij Ovtcharov

Career At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Ovtcharov won the silver medal as part of the German men's team, together with Timo Boll and Christian Süß.

He used a special technique in his serves, which was later picked by Time magazine as one of the top 50 innovations of 2008.

On 22 September 2010, Ovtcharov had been suspended by the German Table Tennis Federation (DTTB) due to a positive A-sample test for Clenbuterol that may be used as a performance-enhancing substance. Ovtcharov himself denied the doping accusation and requested a B-sample analysis which still tested positive. After hearings and further investigations, the hair sample voluntarily offered by Ovtcharov showed no evidence of clenbuterol and its abuse. DTTB later unanimously decided to cancel the suspension on 15 October 2010. The decision was endorsed by ITTF.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Ovtcharov won bronze medals in singles and team events. In June 2015, he won a gold medal at the inaugural European Games. At the 2016 Summer Olympics, he was defeated by Vladimir Samsonov in the singles quarter-final. He then won a team bronze medal.

As a result of his performance in Doha, Ovtcharov rejoined the top ten in the world rankings.

In June, Ovtcharov played in the European Table Tennis Championships, reaching the finals before losing to his German national teammate Timo Boll.

In July, two weeks before the Tokyo Olympics Ovtcharov withdrew from an internal German Olympic Scrimmage due to a leg injury.

Ovtcharov won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics in the men's singles event. Ovtcharov reached the finals of the men's team event, earning his record sixth Olympic medal.

Equipment Ovtcharov is a right-handed player and uses the shakehand grip. He is a Butterfly-sponsored athlete. He uses the Butterfly Ovtcharov Innerforce ALC blade with Butterfly Zyre 03 on both his forehand and backhand.

Club career

TSV Schwalbe Tündern Borussia Düsseldorf (2007–2009) Royal Villette Charleroi (2009–2010) Gazprom Fakel Orenburg (2010–2022) TTC Neu-Ulm (2022–2024) Olympiakos Piraeus (2023–2024) TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell (2024–)

Major League Table Tennis Ovtcharov is a co-owner of the Princeton Revolution and sits on the Board of Governors for Major League Table Tennis (MLTT). He joined the league's ownership group at its inception and was officially appointed to the board in early 2025

Personal life Ovtcharov married Swedish table tennis player Jenny Mellström in 2013. Their daughter, Emma, was born in 2016.

Career records Singles (as of 6 July 2013) Olympics: round of 16 (2008, 2024), Quarter-Finals (2016), bronze medal (2012, 2020). World Championships: round of 16 (2009, 2011, 2013, 2017), round of 64 (2015). World Cup appearances: 1st in 2017 5. Record: 5–8th (2008, 09, 10, 11), 3rd (2013, 2015). World Tour winner (9): 2010 India Open. 2011 Brazil Open. 2011 Korea Open. 2012 German Open. 2014 German Open. 2017 India Open. 2017 China Open. 2017 Bulgaria Open. 2017 German Open. Runner-up (2): 2009 Danish Open. 2010 Polish Open. World Tour Grand Finals appearances: 9. Record: Runner-up (2014, 2017). European Championships: SF (2007), Runner-up (2020), Winner (2013, 2015). Europe Top-12: Winner (2012). Europe Top-16: Winner (2015, 2016, 2017).

Doubles World Championships: round of 16 (2009). Pro Tour winner (1): 2007 Chinese Taipei Open. Pro Tour Grand Finals appearances: 1. Record: QF (2007).

Mixed doubles World Championships: round of 64 (2007).

Team Olympics: Silver (2008), Bronze (2012), Bronze (2016), Silver (2020). European Games: 4th (2015). World Championships: 2nd (2010, 2012, 2014, 2018). World Team Cup: 3rd (2009, 2011). European Championships: 1st (2007–2011, 2013, 2017, 2019) 2nd (2014, 2015).