Düsseldorf stays at the top after victory against Mühlhausen
With TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen, who are currently riding a wave of victories, breathing down their necks, the team from league leaders Borussia Düsseldorf had hoped for a win in their clash against Post SV Mühlhausen. In the end, this endeavor succeeded on Monday evening: Borussia prevailed 3:0 against its Thuringian rivals.
A must-win was the motto for both teams on Monday evening. League leaders Borussia Düsseldorf needed the points to keep their rivals from Ochsenhausen at bay, while Mühlhausen had to emancipate themselves from the relegation places occupied by Bad Homburg and Grenzau after their recent 3:0 triumph against Bremen.
Boll and Qiu win clearly
The Borussians, who had traveled from North Rhine-Westphalia to Thuringia, proved their will to win from the very first minute. Veteran Timo Boll immediately found the right means against Irvin Bertrand, scoring the first point of the evening with 11:7, 11:6 and 12:10 in three rounds. National team colleague Dang Qiu then followed Boll's example, also beating Austria's Daniel Habesohn in three sets.
Mengel puts up a fight
Steffen Mengel was the only player to win a set in the third game of the evening, beating Anton Källberg 11:9 in the second. However, the Swede did not concede another set and wrapped up the victory 3:1. Borussia are now two points ahead of their direct rivals.
Click here for the current table: https://www.ttbl.de/bundesliga/table
Overview of the 13th matchday
Post SV Mühlhausen – Borussia Düsseldorf 0:3
Irvin Bertrand - Timo Boll 0:3 (7:11, 6:11, 10:12)
Daniel Habesohn - Dang Qiu 0:3 (4:11, 9:11, 9:11)
Steffen Mengel - Anton Källberg 1:3 (4:11, 11:9, 6:11, 8:11)
TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt – ASC Grünwettersbach 3:0
Benedikt Duda - Rafael Turrini 3:0 (11:4, 11:8, 13:11)
Romain Ruiz - Leo de Nodrest 3:0 (11:6, 11:6, 11:9)
Adrien Rassenfosse - Guilherme Teodoro 3:0 (11:6, 11:9, 12:10)
TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell – TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen 1:3
Ruwen Filus - Tiago Abiodun 3:2 (9:11, 11:4, 5:11, 11:7, 11:9)
Hsien-Chia Hsu - Hugo Calderano 0:3 (7:11, 2:11, 6:11)
Dimitrij Ovtcharov - Shunsuke Togami 1:3 (4:11, 11:8, 5:11, 7:11)
Ruwen Filus - Hugo Calderano 1:3 (14:12, 9:11, 7:11, 9:11)
Monday, 13. January
7 p.m.: SV Werder Bremen – 1. FC Saarbrücken TT
Tuesday, 14. January
7 p.m.: TTC OE Bad Homburg – TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau
Wednesday, 15. January
7 p.m.: Borussia Dortmund – TSV Bad Königshofen
All TTBL matches are broadcast live and on demand on Dyn.
Author: Julian Hörndlein
Featured image above: Timo Boll (Photo: Jörg Fuhrmann)