Decimated Saarbrücken surprises Grünwettersbach
Despite the absence of the top stars, 1. FC Saarbrücken TT celebrated the second win of the season in the Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL) on Matchday #2: In the first home match, FCS won 3-0 against ASV Grünwettersbach on Friday.
The 1. FC Saarbrücken TT had to do without a number of key players on Friday evening: In addition to Patrick Franziska and Darko Jorgic, Cedric Nuytinck and the injured newcomer Yuto Muramatsu were also missing, so that the reigning runner-up of the Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL) had to significantly rebuild its team on Matchday #2. Compared to the 3-0 opening win at TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt, Eduard Ionescu and Abdullah Talha Yigenler were used instead of Franziska and Jorgic. Grünwettersbach had also won in their first match, taking a 3-0 win over TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell.
That FCS could be good for a surprise even with a changed line-up was shown directly in the first match. Ionescu had a great TTBL debut and gave Deni Kozul no chance. With his 3-0 (11-7, 11-9, 11-6) the Romanian put the home side in the lead. Probably the biggest surprise of the evening followed afterwards: Yigenler, who played for the third time in a TTBL match, won the break against Wang Xi 3-0 (11-7, 11-6, 11-9) and let the Saarbrücken fans dream of their second win of the season.
Cedric Meissner ends Ricardo Walther's winning streak
After the break, Cedric Meissner finally made it and also remained without losing a set. The 3:0 (13:11, 12:10, 12:10) against Ricardo Walther was Meissner's second win in the FCS jersey after his debut win the previous week against Bergneustadt's Romain Ruiz. Walther's winning streak, on the other hand, came to an end after 16 straight victories. "I'm super happy with my start, of course. I was given a super welcome here in Saarbrücken, there's a great atmosphere in the team," Meissner said afterwards. "Although our top players were missing, we fielded a super team. Still, I'm surprised that it turned out so clearly - and actually a little surprised that we won at all. Everyone just did a great job."
SV Werder Bremen had already opened matchday #2 on Tuesday with a 3-0 win at TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell. The match day will continue on Saturday evening, when 1. FSV Mainz 05 will host TSV Bad Königshofen starting at 7 pm. On Sunday (4 pm), Borussia Düsseldorf hosts TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau before Post SV Mühlhausen intervenes for the first time in the 2023/24 season on Monday (7 pm), hosting TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen. You can watch all the games live on Dyn
The 2nd matchday 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)
1. FC Saarbrücken TT - ASV Grünwettersbach 3:0
Eduard Ionescu - Deni Kozul 3:0 (11:7, 11:9, 11:6)
Abdullah Talha Yigenler - Wang Xi 3:0 (11:7, 11:6, 11:9)
Cedric Meissner - Ricardo Walther 3:0 (13:11, 12:10, 12:10)
Saturday, September 2
7 p.m.: 1st FSV Mainz 05 - TSV Bad Königshofen
Sunday, September 3
4 p.m.: TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau - Borussia Düsseldorf
Monday, September 4
7 p.m.: Post SV Mühlhausen - TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen
Article image above: Cedric Meissner (Photo: Patrick Wichmann)