Kilian Ort (TSV Bad Königshofen): "We have nothing against the play-off entry".

Kilian Ort and TSV Bad Königshofen have been rolling up the field in the German Table Tennis League (TTBL) from behind for a few weeks now. After the 3:2 surprise at defending champion Borussia Düsseldorf, the team is even within touching distance of the play-off places. In an interview, Ort assesses not only his brilliant performance in Düsseldorf, but also his club's winning streak and prospects.

Kilian Ort, with TSV Bad Königshofen, you scored a real coup with a 3-2 win at champions and leaders Borussia Düsseldorf. Did you and your colleagues expect this beforehand?

No, we didn't expect to win in Düsseldorf at all. To survive and win away in Düsseldorf is probably also the hardest task in the Bundesliga. In addition, our personnel situation was not exactly favorable: Because Yukiya Uda and Filip Zelkjo had to play in international tournaments, only we three were left, but for Martin Allegro Düsseldorf was also the first match after his hip surgery, Bastian Steger had injured his neck the day before the match, and I had also returned from the WTT tournament in Durban only one day before with a 24-hour trip - so we really couldn't expect very much, even if we knew that Anton Källberg was missing for Düsseldorf.  But that we would leave the box with the two points in the end was really not to be expected, after all Borussia had hardly let any feathers so far and everyone with them had played a cool balance.

With your victories first against young star Kay Stumper and then also against Timo Boll despite match points for your opponent, you were the player of the day. What was decisive for that?

First of all, we had three 'men of the match' in Düsseldorf. Of course, it's easy to single me out because I scored two points and also played quite well. But when I think about the stories of 'Basti' and Martin - Martin had an operation two months ago and hadn't played since, and 'Basti' played with a restricted neck - and see that the two of them also won their doubles, then I give them the highest respect and the greatest thanks that they both put themselves at the service of the team and at the service of the club. I, on the other hand, was healthy, compared to the two of them it was relatively easy for me to play, and without the victory of the two in the doubles, the two singles victories would have been of no use to me. The decisive factor for the wins against Kay and Timo was that I fought my way into the matches well, was really unpleasant for both of them, and that Fortuna was on my side in one situation or another. It was really one of those days where one thing fit the other.

A few days earlier at the WTT tournament in Durban, you were eliminated in the opening round against Frenchman Felix Lebrun without winning a set. What happened between South Africa and Düsseldorf?

I had planned a lot for South Africa, but I didn't find my game at all against Felix Lebrun. He was better in all respects and I couldn't get into the match at all because I had no connection to the match. When I was fit, it was very rare that I really didn't take part in the match at all. But what happened then? I got on the plane and tried to prepare myself well for the match, also because it wasn't originally planned that I would play number one right after the long trip back. Actually, I also just wanted to be unpleasant for my opponents, fight my way into the matches and had hoped that it would develop so well in terms of play that I would get the chance to win a match. All in all, I think I succeeded quite well.

Your team has already won against three Champions League contenders this season and is the team of the hour in the top flight, with three wins in a row and five victories in the past six matches. What are the reasons for your club's run?

We were already on the brink of the abyss in November with 2:6 points and tough games against Saarbrücken and Düsseldorf ahead of us, so we're now happy to have reached a region in the table where we hopefully won't have anything to do with relegation. However, the league is very balanced, and even though we've won five of our last six games, the truth is that we conceded the defeat to FSV Mainz 05, the last team in the table, which only underlines the balance of the league. The reasons for our recent good results are certainly that we get along great among ourselves, have a super team spirit and, above all, have super doubles. We've been through almost every constellation and, unlike in previous years, have a good doubles record - we've always been able to rely on the doubles.

Thanks to its perfect start to the second round, Bad Königshofen is knocking on the door of the play-offs, level on points with fourth-placed Post SV Mühlhausen. Will you and your colleagues make it to the final round?

Mühlhausen already has an intense program behind it. But Post SV has already been in the play-offs once, is therefore more experienced, has three absolutely seasoned Bundesliga players, and Irvin Bertrand is coming back - that's why I see Mühlhausen in pole position, especially since they also have a better game ratio than us. We're only looking at ourselves, but in the day-to-day business of the Bundesliga, everything can happen very quickly, and if we manage to pull off a sensation by making it into the playoffs, we wouldn't mind that, of course.

Finally, let's talk about you personally: In the world rankings, you are close to the top 50, and in May, the World Singles Championships will again be held in Durban. How do you rate your chances of a place in the German lineup at the Cape?

Very low.