Bad Homburg's upswing thanks to new double strength

In the first half of the season, the newly promoted team did not win any of its five doubles matches - but in the second half of the season, it won the first two.

For head coach Helmut Hampl, table tennis Bundesliga club TTC OE Bad Homburg's dream start to the second half of the season is the result of hard work. “We didn't win any of our five decisive doubles matches in the first half of the season. So we practiced more doubles - and that's the reward,” said Hampl on the Dyn microphone after the promoted team's 3:2 win in the basement duel with bottom team TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau thanks to the first win of the season in the final doubles.

Bad Homburg left the relegation zone after the previous win at the start of the second round against fellow promoted team Borussia Dortmund, also thanks to the deciding point in the doubles. The last time the team led by former doubles world champion Kristian Karlsson (Sweden), who only played as a singles player in the first part of the season, was above the drop zone was around two months ago after the seventh match day. However, Bad Homburg are currently only in the first non-relegation place due to their better game difference ahead of Champions League participant Post SV Mühlhausen, who are level on points.

Looking back on the first half of the season for the cup semi-finalists, Hampl regretted the lack of opportunities for doubles training. “We usually only had the same three players available, so there weren't many opportunities to put together doubles. That's a bit different now,” said the 72-year-old. In the opinion of the former Bundesliga player, there can be no question of a belated problem analysis.

At the bottom of the table, Grenzau has to tremble more and more about staying in the league after five defeats in a row, including three 2-3 defeats after 43 years in the top flight. “That was an important game and that's why the defeat really hurts. Our situation is not easy. We can only keep fighting, but we'll do that until we drop,” explained coach Slobodan Grujic.

The Westerwald side are currently two points behind Bad Homburg. The former champions' next game is scheduled for Sunday at leaders and defending champions Borussia Düsseldorf (2 p.m./Dyn).

Source: SID
Featured image above: Helmut Hampl (Photo: IMAGO/Patrick Wichmann/SID/IMAGO/Patrick Wichmann