Matchday 2: Grenzau wants another coup, Mühlhausen starts against Ochsenhausen
At the start of the season of the Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL) Post SV Mühlhausen still had to watch, on the 2nd matchday the Thuringians now also celebrate their start: On Monday evening, Mühlhausen receives the TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen. The day before, TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau hopes for the third coup against Borussia Düsseldorf in a row.
1. FC Saarbrücken TT - ASV Grünwettersbach
The second in the table travels to the third in the table: At the start of the season, 1. FC Saarbrücken TT and ASV Grünwettersbach each celebrated a 3:0 victory, and now they will meet in a direct duel on Friday evening. Saarbrücken won in Bergneustadt on Matchday 1, with Cedric Meissner (3:2 against Romain Ruiz) celebrating a successful debut in the FCS jersey; Grünwettersbach prevailed against Fulda, conceding just two sets. The most recent victory for the Baden team against the reigning runners-up and Champions League winners was just six months ago: last season's return match was a 3-0 win for ASV, although Saarbrücken was without Patrick Franziska and Darko Jorgic at the time.
1. FSV Mainz 05 - TSV Bad Königshofen
The season opener was sobering for both 1. FSV Mainz 05 and TSV Bad Königshofen. While the Rheinhessen lost 0:3 in Bremen, Bad Königshofen conceded the same result at home against Grenzau. In the second attempt, both teams now hope for the first points of the season in order not to fall behind early in the fight to stay in the class. "In the next game we will try to attack again," promised TSV coach Koji Itagaki already on Monday evening. His team, however, will have to do without Jin Ueda for the entire first half of the season, and Kilian Ort was also absent at the start. But Mainz did not play at its best either, Luka Mladenovic was absent in Bremen, and Li Yongyin also suffered an injury.
TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau - Borussia Düsseldorf
TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau can look back on a remarkable series of successes against Borussia Düsseldorf: the Westerwälder won both the first and second legs 3:2 and thus collected important bonus points in the fight against relegation. The new season also got off to a promising start for Grenzau: the TTC won 3:0, while Düsseldorf had scored a 3:1 win over Ochsenhausen the day before. "On a good day, anyone can be beaten because we have a balanced squad with a good mix of experience and talent," said Grenzau general manager Annette Hartmann ahead of Matchday 2. "The guys know that, and it gives them confidence." Accordingly, Düsseldorf coach Danny Heister warns, "With Feng Yi-Hsin, Grenzau has a strong team. That's why the victory in Bad Königshofen didn't really surprise me."
Post SV Mühlhausen - TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen
On Matchday 2, the 2023/24 season will also start for Post SV Mühlhausen, and that immediately with a home and top match: last year's fourth-place team will receive last year's third-place team, TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen, on Monday evening. The Thuringians will have to do without the injured Irvin Bertrand, so Daniel Habesohn, Ovidiu Ionescu and Steffen Mengel are expected to play. With which opponents it gets Mühlhausen to do, is not yet certain. Three TTF players are traveling internationally, and coach Fu Yong will therefore only be able to select his squad at short notice. At the season start against Duesseldorf (1:3) he had still renounced returnees Hugo Calderano and Simon Gauzy. Regardless of the lineup, Ochsenhausen is hoping for its first win of the season: "It's important for us as a team to get a sense of achievement early on after the defeat in Düsseldorf," said Alvaro Robles. "We must not let the unpleasant hall and the witch's cauldron in Mühlhausen upset us and we must keep our focus and concentration. If we can do that, I am very confident that we will bring two points back to Ochsenhausen with our strong squad."
The 2nd match day in the overview
TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell - SV Werder Bremen 0:3
Fanbo Meng - Marcelo Aguirre 2:3 (11:8, 11:8, 9:11, 8:11, 3:11)
Qing Yu Meng - Mattias Falck 0:3 (6:11, 8:11, 6:11)
Ruwen Filus - Kirill Gerassimenko 2:3 (10:12, 6:11, 11:9, 12:10, 8:11)
Friday, September 1, 7 p.m.: 1st FC Saarbrücken TT - ASV Grünwettersbach
Saturday, September 2, 7 p.m.: 1. FSV Mainz 05 - TSV Bad Königshofen
Sunday, September 34 p.m.: TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau - Borussia Düsseldorf
Monday, September 4 7 p.m.: Post SV Mühlhausen - TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen