Matchday 8: Grünwettersbach scrapes past the surprise
The TTBL is back after a six-week break. ASV Grünwettersbach kicked off match day 8 with an away game against German record champions Borussia Düsseldorf. Both teams will face each other in the cup semi-finals on January 7, 2024. Borussia Düsseldorf narrowly won the TTBL duel 3:2.
Düsseldorf's manager Andreas Preuß spoke of an "interesting match" before the game. In place of Tiago Apolonia, who played in the cup against Mühlhausen, Grünwettersbach fielded Brazilian Rafael Turrini. Düsseldorf played with the same three athletes as in the Champions League against SPG Felbermayr Wels.
Källberg and Kozul both win clearly
The first two singles matches were not very exciting. Substitute Turrini had no chance against the Swede Källberg and lost all sets clearly (5:11, 5:11, 3:11). The opposite was to happen in the second singles match of the day. Deni Kozul brought the Norwegian Borgar Haug to his knees with a clear 3:0 (11:8, 11:2, 11:5), giving the ASV player his first Bundesliga win of the season. The great Düsseldorf youngster had certainly imagined his home debut differently.
The third singles match of the day also only went to three sets. In the duel between the two German national players, Ricardo Walther and Kay Stumper, Walther's experience won out over Stumper's youthful recklessness. While the first two sets were relatively clear-cut (11:6, 11:6), the third set seemed to go the Borussia player's way. Walther changed his style of play when he was 5:7 down and played the serve short into Stumper's forehand. Stumper didn't know what to do with it, Walther scored four points and was ultimately able to steal the set.
Haug/Stumper win the doubles point
Deni Kozul got off to the better start in the duel between the two singles players. The Slovenian took a 6:3 lead in the first set, but had to concede the set in the end (9:11). While the next set clearly went to Källberg, the player from Grünwettersbach showed a reaction in the third set and came close again. In the fourth set, Kozul was already trailing 4:7 and 8:10 and fended off two match points. Despite catching up, he was still denied victory.
The final doubles match was well balanced until the middle of the second set, which was not necessarily to be expected. But then Borussia pulled away and clearly won the second and third sets (11:6, 11:4). A timeout by Grünwettersbach in the fourth set did have a brief effect (from 1:4 to 5:6), but Borussia converted its first match point to win 11:6 in the end.
Comments on the match:
Danny Heister (Head Coach Borussia Düsseldorf): "Anton [Källberg] won both of his singles matches. That was also a must. I'm a bit disappointed with Borgar Haug and Kay Stumper. They have to do better. Kay was too preoccupied with his opponent today and didn't concentrate on himself. It was a hard-working win in the end. We're happy with the two points."
Overview of matchday 8
Borussia Düsseldorf – ASV Grünwettersbach 3:2
Anton Källberg – Rafael Turrini 3:0 (11:5, 11:5, 11:3)
Borgar Haug – Deni Kozul 0:3 (8:11, 2:11, 5:11)
Kay Stumper – Ricardo Walther 0:3 (6:11, 6:11, 9:11)
Anton Källberg – Deni Kozul 3:1 (11:9, 11:6, 5:11, 12:10)
Haug/Stumper – Turrini/Walther 3:1 (13:15, 11:6, 11:4, 11:6)
Friday, November 24
7 p.m.: TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen – TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau
Saturday, November 25
7 p.m.: TSV Bad Königshofen – TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt
Sunday, November 26
4 p.m.: Post SV Mühlhausen – SV Werder Bremen
Monday, November 27
7 p.m.: TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell – 1. FC Saarbrücken TT
All TTBL matches are broadcast live on Dyn.
Text: Philipp Wohlfart
Featured Image above: Anton Källberg from Borussia Düsseldorf (Photo: Jörg Fuhrmann).