Borussia Düsseldorf continues winning streak
At the start of the third match day of the Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL), Borussia Düsseldorf landed its third victory. The Rhinelanders won their home match against SV Werder Bremen 3:0 and are now at the top of the table in the German Table Tennis League (TTBL).
Both Borussia Düsseldorf and SV Werder Bremen started the new season of the Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL) with two victories. Thus, it was already clear before the match that one team would keep its clean slate, while the other would lose for the first time. And the German champions continued their winning streak.
Düsseldorf's Anton Källberg gave his team a 1:0 lead after the first singles match. The Swede won the match against Marcelo Aguirre 3:1 (11:8, 11:8, 10:12, 11:7) and benefited from his good service game, which Aguirre could not cope with. Källberg had five match points in the fourth set and used the third to win.
Kay Stumper then extended Borussia Düsseldorf's lead. The 19-year-old made short work of Mattias Falck, the reigning European doubles champion and European singles bronze medalist. Stumper used his strong backhand again and again and won the match 3:0 (11:5, 11:6, 11:9). "Today I was a bit more nervous than in my first match against Mattias Falck," Stumper said after the match. "I have played him twice before and won very close twice. Today I was able to win the match a little more clearly. When you've already won twice, of course you want to win a third time." Kay Stumper thus managed the third win in his third match for Borussia Düsseldorf this season.
Timo Boll absent again
Timo Boll was again missing from the Düsseldorf team. "My thighs were pulled and I won't start table tennis training again until next week," the 41-year-old reported. "That's why I need another one to two weeks."
The decision then came in the third game. Bremen's Kirill Gerassimenko took a 2-0 lead in sets and it looked like the North Germans could force a fourth match. However, Dang Qiu took the next two sets and made the match interesting again. It got really exciting in the fifth set. Gerassimenko was again ahead and had four match points, all of which Qiu fended off. Gerassimenko was also unable to use a fifth match point. Qiu fended off this one as well, took the fifth set and not only won his match 3:2 (7:11, 10:12, 11:9, 14:12, 13:11), but also the match for Borussia Düsseldorf.
Borussia Düsseldorf – SV Werder Bremen 3:0 Anton Källberg – Marcelo Aguirre 3:1 (11:8, 11:8, 10:12, 11:7)
Kay Stumper – Mattias Falck 3:0 (11:5, 11:6, 11:9)
Dang Qiu – Kirill Gerassimenko 3:2 (7:11, 10:12, 11:9, 14:12, 13:11)