Second half of the season begins: Grenzau defeats Grünwettersbach

The second round of the German Table Tennis League (TTBL) got underway on Thursday. TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau celebrated a 3:2 victory in an almost four-hour table tennis thriller at ASV Grünwettersbach to kick off the 12th matchday. The hosts thus spoilt their dress rehearsal for the Liebherr Cup Final Four.

The two teams had only met shortly before Christmas in the first round of the German Table Tennis League (TTBL), with TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau coming out on top 3:1. The reunion to kick off the second half of the season was much closer on Thursday evening. After leading 2-0 at one stage, the visitors had to fight until the deciding set of the doubles match before securing their fifth win of the season. With 10:12 points, the TTC also overtook ASV Grünwettersbach in the table and is now in eighth place. Grünwettersbach dropped to ninth place with 8:14 points, but is still six points clear of the relegation zone. "It was an incredible game," said Grenzau's Samuel Walker after returning to his former club. "We fought to the end, just like Grünwettersbach."

ASV's dress rehearsal for the Liebherr Cup Final Four thus also ended in failure. Next Sunday, 7 January, the team from Baden will face Borussia Düsseldorf in the cup semi-final starting at 11 a.m. At the parallel table in the ratiopharm arena Ulm/Neu-Ulm, the match between TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen and 1. FC Saarbrücken TT will take place at the same time. The two winners will then compete for the German Table Tennis Cup. The event is already sold out with around 5000 spectators. The entire Liebherr Cup Final Four will be broadcast live on Dyn.

Kubik/Walker come back after trailing 0:2

In the almost four-hour thriller on Thursday evening, the advantage changed hands several times, and Grünwettersbach seemed to have the edge in the doubles in particular. Ricardo Walther and Deni Kozul were already leading 2:0 sets against Maciej Kubik and Samuel Walker. However, TTC coach Slobodan Grujic then decided to play more aggressively and his duo delivered. The TTC duo took the lead for the first time in the third set, and a short time later the visitors' fifth win of the season was secured with a 3:2 (15:17, 6:11, 11:8, 11:8, 11:8).

Before that, Walker had given the visitors a 2-0 lead with his 3-0 (11-2, 11-9, 11-7) win against Tiago Apolonia and Feng Yi-Hsin with his 3-2 (11-4, 7-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-4) win against Kozul. Walther brought Grünwettersbach back into the match with a 3:2 (14:12, 9:11, 11:7, 7:11, 11:7) against Kubik; Apolonia ensured the double with a 3:2 (11:6, 6:11, 7:11, 11:9, 11:8) against Feng. "The defeat is very tough. We had our chances, especially when we were 2-0 up in the doubles," said Apolonia afterwards, looking ahead to the Liebherr Cup Final Four: "We face Düsseldorf on Sunday, possibly the best team in Germany. But we have nothing to lose and will give our all with our fans behind us."

The 12th matchday of the German Table Tennis League will continue on Friday, 5 January, with two games: TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell will host TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt from 7 p.m., while TSV Bad Königshofen and SV Werder Bremen will play at the same time. The other matches will take place next week between TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen and Post SV Mühlhausen (12 January) and 1. FSV Mainz 05 and 1. FC Saarbrücken TT (13 January). All TTBL matches will be broadcast live on Dyn.

Overview of the 12th matchday

ASV Grünwettersbach – TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau 2:3
Tiago Apolonia – Samuel Walker 0:3 (2:11, 9:11, 7:11)
Deni Kozul – Feng Yi-Hsin 2:3 (4:11, 11:7, 11:9, 4:11, 4:11)
Ricardo Walther – Maciej Kubik 3:2 (14:12, 9:11, 11:7, 7:11, 11:7)
Tiago Apolonia – Feng Yi-Hsin 3:2 (11:6, 6:11, 7:11, 11:9, 11:8)
Deni Kozul/Ricardo Walther – Maciej Kubik/Samuel Walker 2:3 (17:15, 11:6, 8:11, 8:11, 8:11)

Friday, January 5
7 p.m.: TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell – TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt
7 p.m.: TSV Bad Königshofen – SV Werder Bremen

Friday, January 12
7 p.m.: TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen – Post SV Mühlhausen

Saturday, January 13
7 p.m.: 1. FSV Mainz 05 – 1. FC Saarbrücken TT

Featured image above: Samuel Walker from TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau (photo: Patrick Wichmann)