Suspense until the end: Grünwettersbach defeats Bergneustadt

In the Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL), TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt and ASV Grünwettersbach met on Sunday evening. In a marathon match of almost four hours playing time, ASV Grünwettersbach finally prevailed 3:2. The almost 300 spectators in Bergneustadt's Burstenhalle were treated to a table tennis spectacle of the finest kind.

The first singles match of the evening was a real thriller. Benedikt Duda and Tiago Apolonia delivered a gripping exchange of blows over five sets. After Apolonia took a 2:0 lead, Duda did not let up and equalized. In the end, the Portuguese player from ASV Grünwettersbach could keep the upper hand with 3:2 and put the guests in the lead.

In the second singles match of the evening, Adrien Rassenfosse showed an impressive performance against Deni Kozul and won 3:0. How close this match was in the end is reflected in the close set results (11:9, 11:9, 11:8).

Duda turns the game against Kozul

Unfortunately, Romain Ruiz could not follow the success of his teammate. He lost 0:3 against a strongly acting Ricardo Walther, but this match was also full of suspense until the end (8:11, 10:12, 11:13).

The fourth singles match of the evening was another thriller for the fans. Benedikt Duda showed strong nerves and fought his way back from a 0:2 deficit to finally defeat Deni Kozul in 3:2 sets. This victory meant a lot for Bergneustadt and secured them the chance to win the match (10:12, 3:11, 11:7, 12:10, 11:3).

Final doubles match in a class of its own

The final doubles match was once again highly exciting. Adrien Rassenfosse and Romain Ruiz (Bergneustadt) played Tiago Apolonia and Ricardo Walther (Grünwettersbach) at the highest level, pushing the limits of table tennis. The first set developed into a top-class exchange of blows. Rassenfosse and Ruiz secured the first set with 12:10, but Apolonia and Walther did not give up. They countered again with a 12:10 in the second set and equalized. Set three again went narrowly to Bergneustadt with 15:13.

In the fourth set, Rassenfosse and Ruiz forced the deciding set, in which both doubles pairs fought for every point. But in the end it was Tiago Apolonia and Ricardo Walther who decided the match and the evening in their favor after converting match point to win the set 11:9. Grünwettersbach's joy knew no bounds, while Bergneustadt narrowly missed out on victory.

In the previous Sunday match, Post SV Mühlhausen recorded a 3:1 victory over 1. FSV Mainz 05. The next highlight of the seventh matchday awaits fans on Monday, October 16, when 1. FC Saarbrücken TT meets TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen. Table tennis at the highest level - the Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL) delivers what it promises.

Voices on the game:

Tiago Apolonia:
The final doubles was a top match. I think all the players played really well and there were some spectacular rallies. Of course I am very happy that we were a bit stronger in the end.

Adrien Rassenfosse:
That was our best doubles match together so far. We played very well together. It's a great pity that we couldn't win it, because we would have deserved to win. But in sports there is only one winner in the end. In the next match, we hope to win.

Overview 07. Matchday

TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt – ASV Grünwettersbach 2:3
Benedikt Duda – Tiago Apolonia 2:3 (8:11, 10:12, 11:8, 11:5, 6:11)
Adrien Rassenfosse – Deni Kozul 3:0 (11:9, 11:9, 11:8)
Romain Ruiz – Ricardo Walther 0:3 (8:11, 10:12, 11:13)
Benedikt Duda – Deni Kozul 3:2 (10:12, 3:11, 11:7, 12:10, 11:3)
Adrien Rassenfosse/Romain Ruiz - Tiago Apolonia/Ricardo Walther 2:3 (12:10, 10:12, 15:13, 6:11, 9:11)

1. FSV Mainz 05 – Post SV Mühlhausen 1:3
Yongyin Li – Daniel Habesohn 3:1 (4:11, 11:7, 11:6, 11:4)
Luka Mladenovic – Steffen Mengel 1:3 (9:11, 10:12, 11:9, 4:11)
Carlo Rossi – Ovidiu Ionescu 0:3 (10:12, 2:11, 9:11)
Li Yongyin – Steffen Mengel 1:3 (15:13, 6:11, 6:11, 4:11)

TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell – TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau 2:3
Ruwen Filus – Samuel Walker 3:1 (11:3, 11:6, 9:11, 11:5)
Thibault Poret – Yi-Hsin Feng 1:3 (2:11, 11:8, 6:11, 7:11)
Fanbo Meng – Maciej Kubik 3:1 (11:3, 11:5, 6:11, 12:10)
Ruwen Filus – Yi-Hsin Feng 2:3 (12:10, 6:11, 15:17, 11:9, 7:11)
Meng/Poret – Kubik/Walter 0:3 (4:11, 6:11, 7:11)

SV Werder Bremen – TSV Bad Königshofen 3:0
Mattias Falck – Martin Allegro 3:1 (11:2, 9:11, 11:3, 11:9)
Kirill Gerassimenko – Filip Zeljko 3:0 (11:6, 11:5, 11:5)
Marcelo Aguirre – Bastian Steger 3:2 (11:8, 7:11, 11:5, 6:11, 13:11)

Monday, 16. Oktober
19 Uhr: 1. FC Saarbrücken TT – TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen

All TTBL matches are broadcast live on Dyn.

Feature image above: Tiago Apolonia from ASV Grünwettersbach (Photo: Patrick Wichmann).