Cup round of 16 2024/25: First matches scheduled
A real treat awaits all fans in the round of 16 of the German Table Tennis Cup: Borussia Düsseldorf and Timo Boll will play away at TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell with new signing Dimitrij Ovtcharov. The TTBL's internal round of 16 matches have already been scheduled.
A few weeks after the Summer Olympics, the 2024/25 season is picking up speed again and the table tennis stars can be seen in halls all over Germany. In addition to the new season in the German Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL), the German Table Tennis Cup is already casting its shadow. In the cup round of 16, the 16 teams want to take the first step towards the Liebherr Cup Final Four, where the first title decision of the season will be made in January 2025.
Borussia Düsseldorf faces a particularly tough opponent: The defending champions and record cup winners must play TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell on Saturday, September 21, 2024 at 7 p.m. The East Hessians have strengthened their squad for the new season with Dimitrij Ovtcharov, among others, so fans can look forward to seeing the German Olympic trio of Ovtcharov, Timo Boll and Dang Qiu (both Düsseldorf). Another team from the German Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL) will also play Düsseldorf's long-standing rivals: 1. FC Saarbrücken TT, which lost to Borussia in the Liebherr Cup final last season, will host newly promoted Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, September 18 at 7:30 pm.
Highlight matches for two preliminary round winners
TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen and ASC Grünwettersbach, who both reached the semi-finals last season, are once again hoping to make it to the Liebherr Cup Final Four. In the new season, Ochsenhausen will face TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt in the round of 16 on Wednesday, September 18 at 7 p.m., while Grünwettersbach will travel to TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau on Monday, September 9 (match starts at 7 p.m.). Another TTBL-internal duel will take place between TSV Bad Königshofen and Post SV Mühlhausen (September 4, 6 p.m.).
Two winners of the preliminary round groups can look forward to highlight matches against SV Werder Bremen and TTBL promoted team TTC OE Bad Homburg. There will also be a clash between the preliminary round winners of Groups 2 and 4, meaning that at least one team from the second or third Bundesliga will reach the quarter-finals and will then be just one step away from advancing to the Liebherr Cup Final Four. These round of 16 matches will not be scheduled until after August 25, when the preliminary round has been played.
Overview of the cup round of 16
Wednesday, 04.09. 6 p.m.
TSV Bad Königshofen – Post SV Mühlhausen
Monday, 09.09. 7 p.m.
TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau – ASC Grünwettersbach
Wednesday, 18.09. 7 p.m.
TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen – TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt
Wednesday, 18.09. 7.30 p.m.
1. FC Saarbrücken TT – Borussia Dortmund
Saturday, 21.09. 7 p.m.
TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell – Borussia Düsseldorf
Scheduling after 25.08.
Winner preliminary round group 1 – TTC OE Bad Homburg
Winner preliminary round group 2* – Winner preliminary round group 4*
Winner preliminary round group 3 – SV Werder Bremen
*Possible exchange of home rights, as lower-class club has home rights.
Mode and dates
The ten teams from the 2nd Bundesliga and six clubs from the 3rd Bundesliga will determine the respective winners in four groups in the cup preliminary round on August 25, who will qualify for the round of 16, which will be played by September 25 at the latest. The twelve TTBL clubs will then enter the competition. The winners of the round of 16 will qualify for the quarter-finals, which will ultimately decide which four teams advance to the Liebherr Cup Final Four, which will be held in January 2025 with two semi-finals and a final on one day.
Overview of the preliminary round
Group 1 (in Lampertheim): TTC Altena, TTC indeland Jülich, SV Union Velbert II, TTC 1957 Lampertheim
Group 2 (in Schwarzenbek): SV Union Velbert, TSV Schwarzenbek, Hertha BSC Berlin, 1. FC Köln
Group 3 (in Neckarsulm): 1. FSV Mainz 05, SU Neckarsulm, 1. FC Saarbrücken TT II, TTC Bietigheim-Bissingen
Group 4 (in Hilpoltstein): TSV Windsbach, TTC SR Hohenstein-Ernstthal, TTC Fortuna Passau, TV 1879 Hilpoltstein