Road to Final Four: Overview of the first quarter-final matches
A weekend full of table tennis highlights: In addition to the six matches of the Table Tennis Bundesliga, the first three Cup quarterfinals will also take place, the winners of which will advance to the Liebherr Cup final on January 8 in the ratiopharm arena Ulm/Neu-Ulm.
The matches of the TTBL first round are important for all clubs to secure their place in the table tennis Bundesliga. However, the focus of the clubs this weekend is certainly on the cup competition. In the race for the first title of 2023 are TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell, record champion Borussia Düsseldorf, TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen, TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau, defending champion 1. FC Saarbrücken-TT, ASV Grünwettersbach as well as TTC Neu-Ulm around top star Dimitrij Ovtcharov and Post SV Mühlhausen.
Which team can secure a place in the Final Four?
TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell welcomes record champion Borussia Düsseldorf on Friday evening. Even though Fulda is currently bottom of the table, the team is not to be underestimated. "Fulda is on fire against us. We saw in the play-off semifinals last season how close it was in Fulda. We have to be wide awake from the first ball there. And in a game like this, it doesn't matter if you're playing the team at the bottom of the table or another team," said head coach Danny Heister.
The TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen would also like to achieve their first goal of the season on Friday evening by reaching the Final Four. TTF President Kristijan Pejinovic after the defeat against Düsseldorf: "There is nothing left for us to do now but wipe our mouths, look ahead and put our full focus on next weekend. We want to move into the Liebherr Cup final." Whether the Upper Swabians can prevail against TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau in front of their home crowd remains to be seen. "We expect a hot match on Friday night," says Fu Yong. "Both teams will give everything to enter the Liebherr Pokal final with a win. We have prepared intensively this week and are ready to give everything. We hope for a lot of support from our fans and want to make it to the final for the club, for our partners and for the many helpers and employees."
In the last match of the cup quarterfinals this weekend, defending champion 1. FC Saarbrücken-TT will host ASV Grünwettersbach. With Patrick Franziska and the Slovenian national player Darko Jorgic, the hosts have two top players in their team who will be difficult to beat. Which strategy ASV coach Achim Krämer will choose against the defending champions and whether it is possible for Grünwettersbach to beat the defending champions and thus participate in the fourth Final Four in a row, you can follow live on the channels of Spontent on Twitch, as well as all other matches of the quarterfinals and the league matches of the TTBL (Tischtennis Bundesliga).
The last Final Four participant will be determined two weeks later, on November 27, in southern Germany. TTC Neu-Ulm, with top stars Dimitrij Ovtcharov and Truls Möregårdh, will welcome Post SV Mühlhausen. Thus, at the end of November, all teams will be determined who will fight for the first title of the year on January 8, 2023.
The Semi-finals in overview
Friday, November 11
7 p.m.: TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell vs. Borussia Düsseldorf
7 p.m.: TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen vs. TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau
Sunday, November 27
1 p.m.: 1. FC Saarbrücken-TT vs. ASV Grünwettersbach
Sunday, November 27
3 p.m.: 1. TTC Neu-Ulm vs. Post SV Mühlhausen