Waldner played his first international tournament at the Nordic Championships in Denmark. He played very well. He won gold in singles play and silver in doubles. At the 1982 European Championships for children and teenagers, he won silver. With this tournament, he moved from number 90 to number 22 in the junior world rankings. That same year, Waldner played at the European Championships for adults. He won silver. In 1983, he played very well. At his first World Cup, he won silver. He played in his first World Championships and placed in the top sixteen as a single player. In doubles play, he won silver. In May 1983, he wasnumber 38 in the world rankings. He kept playing well. He won a silver medal in singles and a gold medal in the mixed. Waldner did not play in the European Championships that year.