MATCHDAY 3: BERGNEUSTADT FIGHTS FOR VICTORY AGAINST GRENZAU

The first match between TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt and TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau ended 3:0 on match day 3 of the German Table Tennis League (TTBL). However, the match was not as clear-cut as the result might suggest.

The home team from Bergneustadt was one game behind the other teams in the league and wanted to make a statement. And in the first game, it seemed as if it would be a clear-cut affair: Benedikt Duda won 3:0 against his challenger Maciej Kubik with 11:3, 11:8 and 11:9. "Benedikt played very, very well today," said Kubik afterwards.

Two five-set matches

Then the real work began for Bergneustadt. Romain Ruiz took a 2:1 lead against Yi-Hsin Feng, but then had to accept the equalizer. He finally won the last set by the narrow margin of 11:9.

Patrick Baum then clearly raised the hopes of the Grenzau fans. He also fought his way back to 2:2 and took a brilliant lead in the fifth set, but still lost 12:10 in the end.

Result only partially reflects the truth

The final score was 3:0, which does not do justice to the matches of the day. "It could just as easily have gone more for us," said Maciej Kubik after the game. Grenzau now face 1 FC Saarbrücken-TT on matchday 4, while Bergneustadt travel to Mainz.

Matchday 3 in the overview

Post SV Mühlhausen – TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell 3:1
Daniel Habesohn – Ruwen Filus 3:2 (11:5, 9:11, 6:11, 11:9, 11:8)
Ovidiu Ionescu – Fan Bo Meng 1:3 (11:9, 4:11, 9:11, 9:11)
Steffen Mengel – Qing Yu Meng 3:0 (11:9, 11:9, 11:7)
Daniel Habesohn – Fan Bo Meng 3:1 (7:11, 11:7, 11:9, 11:7)

Borussia Düsseldorf – SV Werder Bremen 3:2
Anton Källberg – Christian Pletea 3:0 (11:7, 11:2, 11:8)
Kay Stumper – Mattias Falck 0:3 (11:12, 8:11, 6:11)
Timo Boll – Marcelo Aguirre 3:1 (11:7, 9:11, 11:7, 11:7)
Anton Källberg – Mattias Falck 1:3 (9:11, 11:5, 12:14, 3:11)
Timo Boll / Kay Stumper – Christian Pletea / Marcelo Aguirre 3:1 (11:8, 11:9, 5:11, 11:5)

TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt – TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau 3:0
Benedikt Duda – Maciej Kubik 3:0 (11:3, 11:8, 11:9)
Romain Ruiz – Yi-Hsin Feng 3:2 (8:11, 12:10, 11:4, 4:11, 11:9)
Adrien Rassenfosse – Patrick Baum 3:2 (7:11, 12:10, 11:7, 7:11, 12:10)

Donnerstag, 07. September
7 p.m.: TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen - 1. FSV Mainz 05
7 p.m.: TSV Bad Königshofen - 1. FC Saarbrücken-TT 

Text: Julian Hörndlein

Featured image above: Maciej Kubik (Foto: Grenzau)