Mainz 05: Top against top teams
1. FSV Mainz 05 fought for two important points to stay in the league on the 13th matchday of the Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL). In their own hall, the 05ers defeated TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen 3-2, but remained bottom of the table. Ochsenhausen, on the other hand, slipped out of the play-off ranks.
The Mainz team recently proved how to beat a top team in the league in their own stadium with a 3-1 win against Saarbrücken. With Ochsenhausen, the 05ers were expecting the next play-off candidate on matchday 13. And once again the spectators were treated to a lot. The first single between Yongyin Li and Can Akkuzu went back and forth for five sets before the Chinese was able to celebrate in extra time of the fifth set and put his colors in the lead.
And it got even better: Rares Sipos then celebrated its first win of the current TTBL season against Samuel Kulczycki and increased it to 2-0. However, Simon Gauzy quickly put a damper on Mainz's euphoria. Luka Mladenovic never found the right means against the Frenchman for three sets.
Better ending for Mainz
Samuel Kulczycki then took care of the equalizer for the table tennis fans. In the top singles he defeated Yongyin Li in five sets and forced the hosts into the final doubles. And here the fourth Mainz player was finally able to contribute to the team's success: alongside Luka Mladenovic, Carlo Rossi won 3-0 against Simon Gauzy and Can Akkuzu after a concentrated performance.
Voices about the game
Rares Sipos, 1. FSV Mainz 05: “I am very happy that I was finally able to get a win and help the team. Especially against my good friend Samuel. Next week we'll be playing away in Grenzau. If we perform there like we did today, we have another chance and can collect important points to stay in the league.”
Simon Gauzy, TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen: “In Can’s first game we lacked a bit of luck in the crucial moments. But you shouldn't forget that Can hasn't played a game in four months and Samuel is only just coming back from an injury. Mainz played well today, were wide awake in the crucial moments and a bit better than us.”
Bremen welcomes Grenzau
The 13th matchday will conclude on Wednesday, January 31st, when SV Werder Bremen hosts the TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau at 7 p.m.
Overview of the 13th matchday
1. FSV Mainz 05 – TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen 3:2
Yongyin Li - Can Akkuzu 3:2 (8:11, 9:11, 11:5, 14:12, 14:12)
Rares Sipos - Samuel Kulczycki 3:1 (13:11,, 9:11, 16:14, 11:8)
Luka Mladenovic - Simon Gauzy 0:3 (8:11, 9:11, 3:11)
Yongyin Li - Samuel Kulczycki 2:3 (7:11, 11:8, 6:11, 11:2, 7:11)
Mladenovic/Rossi - Gauzy/Akkuzu 3:0 (11:9, 11:5, 13:11)
TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell – Borussia Düsseldorf 3:1
Fanbo Meng - Borgar Haug 3:2 (3:11, 11:6, 6:11, 13:11, 11:3)
Qing Yu Meng - Timo Boll 0:3 (7:11, 5:11, 8:11)
Ruwen Filus - Kay Stumper 3:2 (4:11, 13:11, 3:11, 11:9, 12:10)
Fanbo Meng - Timo Boll 3:0 (11:9, 11:7, 11:9)
TSV Bad Königshofen – ASV Grünwettersbach 3:1
Jin Ueda – Ricardo Walther 1:3 (6:11, 11:6, 8:11, 7:11)
Filip Zeljko – Wang Xi 3:0 (11:7, 11:6, 11:8)
Bastian Steger – Deni Kozul 3:1 (4:11, 11:8, 11:4, 11:9)
Jin Ueda – Wang Xi 3:0 (11:5, 11:7, 11:3)
Post SV Mühlhausen – TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt 0:3
Ovidiu Ionescu – Romain Ruiz 2:3 (12:10, 6:11, 11:6, 7:11, 6:11)
Steffen Mengel – Adrien Rassenfosse 2:3 (8:11, 11:6, 11:8, 5:11, 7:11)
Daniel Habesohn – Benedikt Duda 2:3 (7:11, 3:11, 11:8, 12:10, 10:12)
Wednesday, January 31st
7 p.m.:Uhr: SV Werder Bremen – TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau
All TTBL games will be broadcast live on live auf Dyn.
Featured image above: Luka Mladenovic (Foto: 1. FSV Mainz 05)