Interview with Bastian Steger (TSV Bad Königshofen): “Bad Königshofen has established itself quite well”

TSV Bad Königshofen has entered the play-offs in the German Table Tennis League (TTBL) as the biggest underdog among the four semi-finalists. In an interview, TSV veteran Bastian Steger talks about the starting position ahead of match two at champions Borussia Düsseldorf after the defeat in the first duel, the continuing euphoria among the Franconians and the prospects for the new season after the upcoming upheaval during the summer break.

Bastian Steger, you and TSV are under pressure to win in the second play-off semi-final at Borussia Düsseldorf on Sunday after losing 3:1 in front of your own fans in game one. How do you rate your team's chances of forcing a third game at the champions' table?

The chances are of course better for Düsseldorf than for us. They are also the clear favorites and they proved that very impressively in the first game. It will of course be difficult for us, although we have already won in Düsseldorf on one or two occasions. We'll do everything we can, of course, but it's definitely a difficult starting position.

What was the decisive factor in the defeat in game one?

I think that Dang Qiu was the decisive factor, you have to say that clearly. He played outstandingly, really, really well and without mistakes. As a result, Dang won very clearly against both Jin Ueda and me. These two victories were of course the foundation stone for Borussia.

Looking back, could a different line-up have been more promising?

In terms of the line-up, I don't think we can blame ourselves too much. Of course, there are always opportunities to change things, but even then, every game remains difficult for us and must therefore run optimally for us.

Can we already see a tactic for the “all or nothing” game?

We'll sit down and think about the best way to beat Borussia and get to a third game.

Hand on heart: Does your team have to at least reach the final double in game two to have a chance of winning?

If we make it to the final double, then we certainly don't have to hide or be afraid. We've often proved again this season that we're pretty strong in doubles. That's why it would be good for us to get into the doubles. But we have to achieve that first.

There was enormous euphoria around your team after making the play-offs again at the last minute, just like at the premiere last season. Did losing game one put a damper on the enthusiasm?

I don't think so. A win against Düsseldorf is not very realistic, and we as a team and our spectators and fans are already well aware of Düsseldorf's strength. Even though we created a sensation last season and won the first game against Düsseldorf, nobody was hugely disappointed that we lost the first game. It was already unbelievable for us that we reached the play-offs. It's a huge success for our club and a lot of people were very happy about it. This joy could not be dampened by the defeat in the first game.

As already mentioned, Bad Königshofen is among the top four teams in the league for the second time in a row and is playing for a place in the championship final. After last year's surprise success, should TSV now be regarded as established at the very top?

In my opinion, Bad Königshofen has now established itself quite well in the Bundesliga. The fact that we have now made it to the play-offs twice in a row is something that probably very few people would have thought beforehand, because repeating a surprise success like last year's is even more difficult. In any case, you can already feel the respect of the other clubs and realize that you are not being taken lightly. But it's also nice to hear that the opposing teams or many players enjoy coming to Königshofen because of our great environment with the super fans and the incredible atmosphere in the hall, because we probably have the best fans in the league who create a great atmosphere.

After the season, your team will undergo a change. What are your expectations for the next season?

Next season will be quite exciting again due to the small upheaval in our team. Andre Bertelsmeier is a young player playing his first season in the Bundesliga. Even though he has shown great performances in recent weeks and I can also see in training that he is developing very well, we'll have to wait and see how his first season goes for him, because the Bundesliga is pretty tough. But I'm very optimistic, because Andre is a good guy and will go his own way and then help us further. In addition, Daniel Habesohn is an experienced player who can help us with his qualities in singles and doubles. All in all, it will definitely be a new and exciting challenge and I don't think we need to hide. Nevertheless, I wouldn't look upwards towards the play-offs for the time being, because in such an extremely well-balanced league, we should first secure our position at the bottom and not get involved in the relegation battle. That will be our top priority for the time being.

Thank you very much for the interview, Bastian Steger.

Interview: Florian Manzke