Last-minute success in Fulda: Bad Königshofen celebrates derby victory

Last-minute success in Fulda: Bad Königshofen celebrates derby victory

Bastian Steger has led TSV Bad Könighofen to their 5th win of the season in the German Table Tennis League (TTBL). Thanks to an amazing comeback of the 41-year-old, the team from Lower Franconia won 3:2 against TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell on Saturday.

For Bastian Steger and therefore also for TSV Bad Königshofen, the match on Matchday 9 of the German Table Tennis League (TTBL) seemed to be lost. The 41-year-old faced three match points and a strong Ruwen Filus - the 1:3 for Steger and thus also for his club seemed to be close. But with a strong comeback, the player from Bad Königshofen secured the victory and therefore made it possible for the guests to later win 3:2 in the Hessian-Franconian derby at TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell.

"It was a match on a knife edge. Actually, we had almost lost when I was down 1:2, 7:10 to Ruwen," Steger said afterwards. "But somehow we still managed to turn things around. The doubles was then very confident and played really well. We are extremely happy about our victory." For Bad Königshofen, it was the fourth win from the last five matches - only Borussia Düsseldorf was able to defeat the Lower Franconians recently. With now 10:8 points the TSV improved for the time being on place six. Fulda's situation is quite different: Last year's fourth-place team won only two games and finds itself in the bottom of the table with 4:14 points. "We played very well and fought well. Unfortunately, we lacked a bit of luck," noted coach Qing Yu Meng. "Despite the defeat, I see us on a good way. Now only little things are missing."

Kilian Ort and Yukiya Uda win the doubles match

Before the 3:2 (4:11, 9:11, 11:7, 13:11, 11:4) coup against Filus in the top singles, Steger had already won his 1st match. Against Fanbo Meng he won 3:1 (11:5, 13:11, 13:15, 11:5). The decision in favor of the guests was finally made by the doubles. Kilian Ort and Yukiya Uda had the match against Alexandre Cassin and Meng largely under control, prevented a comeback in the second set and celebrated a 3:1 (11:8, 11:8, 6:11, 11:6) to win 3:2 for their team. For Fulda, Filus won the opening singles 3-2 (3:11, 11:5, 11:8, 8:11, 11:8) against Uda and Cassin won 3-0 (11:5, 11:9, 11:4) at position three against Filip Zeljko.

The 9th matchday of the Table Tennis Bundesliga continues tomorrow, Sunday, December 11, including the rematch of last year's final between Borussia Düsseldorf and 1. FC Saarbrücken TT (from 4 p.m.). The match day will be concluded on Monday evening with the match between TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau and TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen. All TTBL matches will be broadcast live on the Spontent channels on Twitch.

The 9th matchday in overview

SV Werder Bremen – TTC Neu-Ulm 3:1
Kirill Gerassimenko – Lev Katsman 3:1 (11:6, 11:9, 7:11, 11:9)
Cristian Pletea – Vladimir Sidorenko 2:3 (7:11, 12:10, 6:11, 11:9, 5:11)
Mattias Falck – Maksim Grebnev 3:0 (11:8, 11:8, 11:8)
Kirill Gerassimenko – Vladimir Sidorenko 3:1 (8:11, 11:8, 13:11, 11:6)

TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell – TSV Bad Königshofen 2:3
Ruwen Filus – Yukiya Uda 3:2 (3:11, 11:5, 11:8, 8:11, 11:8)
Fanbo Meng – Bastian Steger 1:3 (5:11, 11:13, 15:13, 5:11)
Alexandre Cassin – Filip Zeljko 3:0 (11:5, 11:9, 11:4)
Ruwen Filus – Bastian Steger 2:3 (11:4, 11:9, 7:11, 11:13, 4:11)
Alexandre Cassin/Fanbo Meng – Kilian Ort/Yukiya Uda 1:3 (8:11, 8:11, 11:6, 6:11)

Sunday, December 11
1 p.m.: 1. FSV Mainz 05 – ASV Grünwettersbach
2 p.m.: Post SV Mühlhausen – TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt                                       4 p.m.: Borussia Düsseldorf – 1. FC Saarbrücken TT

Monday, December 12
7 p.m.: TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau – TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen