Ochsenhausen beats Grünwettersbach and extends lead
TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen celebrated the next victory on their way to the play-offs of the German Table Tennis League (TTBL) on Sunday: On matchday 18, the four-time German champions won 3:1 against ASV Grünwettersbach.
Only two wins separate TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen from the play-offs of the German Table Tennis League (TTBL): With the 3:1 in the Baden-Württemberg derby against ASV Grünwettersbach, the Upper Swabians extended their lead to fifth place; they are currently six points ahead of TSV Bad Königshofen, who will receive TTC Neu-Ulm next Tuesday, February 21, and can move back to four points. "We look from game to game and look at our performance - in the end we will then see what it is enough for," said Ochsenhausen's Can Akkuzu after the victory against Grünwettersbach, addressed to the table constellation.
The Grünwettersbacher hoped in vain for their second away win of the season and are still the worst away team in the league. As eighth in the table, however, they remain four points ahead of the relegation zone with 16:20 points. "We had hoped for more, of course," noted Grünwettersbach's Ricardo Walther. "But in the end it was a deserved victory for Ochsenhausen. Wang Xi unfortunately didn't have his best day today."
Akkuzu beats Kozul and Wang
The TTF were warned from the first leg, which had finally gone to Grünwettersbach 3:2 in December. "We knew that it will be a difficult task," said Akkuzu. The 25-year-old had not been able to play in the first leg, and at the reunion he now became the match winner with two victories: In the opening singles Akkuzu won 3:1 (11:7, 11:8, 7:11, 11:4) against Deni Kozul, before he also managed the decisive victory in the top singles with a 3:1 (11:8, 11:6, 5:11, 11:5) against Wang Xi.
Simon Gauzy also prevailed against Wang Xi and thus got the break for Ochsenhausen: the world number 32 only left three points to his opponent in the first two sets and finally won 3:0 (11:2, 11:1, 11:7). "A fantastic match from Simon, I haven't seen him like that yet this season. Wang Xi had no chance. What Simon showed was almost another league," noted TTF President Kristijan Pejinovic. Walther reduced the score to 1:2 from ASV's point of view with a 3:1 (11:7, 9:11, 11:7, 11:9) against Alvaro Robles.
The next match for Ochsenhausen is on March 4, when the TTF play the Swabian derby at TTC Neu-Ulm. Grünwettersbach will be challenged again on March 5, when 1. FC Saarbrücken TT is the guest at the Tischtennis-Zentrum. All matches of the Table Tennis Bundesliga will be broadcast live on the Spontent channels on Twitch.
The 18th matchday in overview
TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen – ASV Grünwettersbach 3:1
Can Akkuzu – Deni Kozul 3:1 (11:7, 11:8, 7:11, 11:4)
Simon Gauzy – Wang Xi 3:0 (11:2, 11:1, 11:7)
Alvaro Robles – Ricardo Walther 1:3 (7:11, 11:9, 7:11, 9:11)
Can Akkuzu – Wang Xi 3:1 (11:8, 11:6, 5:11, 11:5)
Sunday, February 19
3 p.m.: TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt –TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell
4.30 p.m.: TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau – SV Werder Bremen
Tuesday, February 21
6 p.m.: TSV Bad Königshofen – TTC Neu-Ulm
7 p.m.: 1. FC Saarbrücken-TT – Borussia Düsseldorf
Sunday, February 26
3 p.m.: 1. FSV Mainz 05 – Post SV Mühlhausen