Düsseldorf makes short work of Mainz
Borussia Düsseldorf gave 1. FSV Mainz 05 no chance at the start of the 17th matchday of the Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL). The league leader won 3:0 against the last team in the table on Tuesday.
Yuto Muramatsu had a singles record of 15:3 before the duel with Borussia Düsseldorf - and is thus not only one of the most successful players in the German Table Tennis League (TTBL), but also the great hope of the 1st FSV Mainz 05 in the fight to stay in the league. On Tuesday evening, however, the bottom of the table hoped in vain for the next success after the recent 3:1 against Neu-Ulm. Düsseldorf won 3-0 to kick off Matchday 17 and extended its lead in the standings with 28-6 points for the time being. Mainz, on the other hand, remains six points behind the save shore with 6:28 points. However, the competition can pull even further away in the further course of the match day. Currently, TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell, TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau and TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt are tied on points (12:20 each) ahead of Mainz.
"We have five games left, four of them home games. And I think we have a good chance to win in every game," Mainz's Luka Mladenovic said after the match. "Among others, we still play against Grenzau, Fulda and Bergneustadt. We will give everything, and then we will see in the end what it is enough for." Düsseldorf coach Danny Heister said, "After some close and contested games, this clear success is good. Mainz looked a bit nervous and maybe didn't show their best table tennis. On the other hand, my guys didn't allow more than this one set win with enthusiasm for the game and a focused performance."
Dang Qiu gets the break against Yuto Muramatsu
The fact that Mainz had to bury their hopes of a coup at the record champion early on was due to Dang Qiu's break. The European champion won 3:1 (11:7, 11:3, 8:11, 11:9) against Muramatsu, thus inflicting the fourth defeat of the season on Mainz's top player and setting the course for Düsseldorf early on. The opening singles had also gone to the hosts, Anton Källberg beating Luka Mladenovic 3-0 (11-3, 11-3, 11-8). "He had a very precise match plan and executed it perfectly," Mladenovic said afterwards about Källberg's performance. "It wasn't my best match, but he also made it incredibly difficult for me." After the break, Timo Boll finally set up the final score with a 3-0 (11-4, 11-6, 11-1) win over Carlo Rossi.
The table tennis Bundesliga continues next Friday, February 10. Then SV Werder Bremen receives the second in the table 1. FC Saarbrücken TT from 19 clock. The four further games of the 17th matchday will take place on the following Sunday, February 12. Then it comes among others to the duel between the TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell and the TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen. All TTBL matches will be broadcast live on the Spontent channels on Twitch.
The 17th matchday in overview
Borussia Düsseldorf – 1. FSV Mainz 05 3:0
Anton Källberg – Luka Mladenovic 3:0 (11:3, 11:3, 11:8)
Dang Qiu – Yuto Muramatsu 3:1 (11:7, 11:3, 8:11, 11:9)
Timo Boll – Carlo Rossi 3:0 (11:4, 11:6, 11:1)
Friday, February 10
7 p.m.: SV Werder Bremen – 1. FC Saarbrücken TT
Sunday, February 12
1 p.m.: Post SV Mühlhausen – TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau
3 p.m.: TTC Neu-Ulm – TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt
4.30 p.m.: ASV Grünwettersbach – TSV Bad Königshofen
7 p.m.: TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell – TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen