Bundesliga

TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau and 1. FSV Mainz 05 played a thrilling match in the German Table Tennis League (TTBL) in the evening. After almost three and a half hours of play, Grenzau ultimately came out on top 3:2 in the neighborly duel. The match was a real rollercoaster of emotions for the 600 spectators.

Yi-Hsin Feng from TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau opened the first singles match against Carlo Rossi. The player from Mainz played strongly from the start and was able to earn two set points, which Feng fended off in a skillful manner and turned the set in his favor. In the following two sets, the Taiwanese dominated the match and gave Grenzau a 1:0 lead (12:10, 11:5, 11:6).

However, Mainz struck back immediately when Yongyin Li gave Samuel Walker little chance with a convincing performance and defeated him 3:0 (3:11, 7:11, 6:11). Mainz thus equalized and put Grenzau under pressure again.

Rares Sipos shows nerves of steel

The tension reached its climax in the third singles match, in which Maciej Kubik and Rares Sipos faced off in a thrilling five-set duel. Sipos in particular showed nerves of steel when he was trailing 2:6 in the fifth set and felt his hopes were slipping away.

The Romanian, who had not won any of his eight singles matches in the preliminary round, held his nerve in the end and secured a narrow victory (9:11, 11:2, 9:11, 11:9, 9:11). Mainz took the lead for the first time and the hosts now had to work hard to turn the game around.

Yi-Hsin Feng becomes the match winner

In the fourth game, Yongyin Li started with an energetic performance and won the first set 9:11. Yi-Hsin Feng countered directly with an 11:9 set win and the next two sets were also won 11:7 and 11:5 by the Grenzau player, who forced 1. FSV Mainz 05 into the final double with his victory and extended his own personal singles record to 14:5.

In a nerve-wracking doubles duel, Maciej Kubik and Samuel Walker finally decided the match in their favor. Against Carlo Rossi and Rares Sipos, they earned a hard-fought 3:2 victory (8:11, 11:8, 6:11, 11:5, 11:7), which also marked the 3:2 overall victory over Mainz.

With this victory, TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau remains in the top half of the table, while 1. FSV Mainz 05 remains in the basement despite a strong performance. In the first match on Sunday, TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt won 3:2 against Borussia Düsseldorf. The 14th matchday will be completed with the clash between SV Werder Bremen and Post SV Mühlhausen on Monday, February 5 at 7 pm.

Overview of matchday 14

TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt – Borussia Düsseldorf 3:2
Romain Ruiz – Dang Qui 3-1 (8:11, 11:8, 11:7, 11:5)
Benedikt Duda – Anton Källberg 3:2 (3:11, 11:8, 12:10, 7:11, 11:9)
Adrien Rassenfosse – Kay Stumper 0:3 (12:14, 7:11, 6:11)
Romain Ruiz - Anton Källberg 1:3 (11:2, 6:11, 6:11, 5:11)
Adrien Rassenfosse/Benedikt Duda - Dang Qui/Kay Stumper 3:0 (13:11, 11:8, 11:8)

TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau – 1. FSV Mainz 05 3:2
Yi-Hsin Feng – Carlo Rossi 3:0 (12:10, 11:5, 11:6)
Samuel Walker – Yongyin Li 0:3 (3:11, 7:11, 6:11)
Maciej Kubik – Rares Sipos 2:3 (9:11, 11:2, 9:11, 11:9, 9:11)
Yi-Hsin Feng – Yongyin Li 1:3 (9:11, 11:9, 11:7, 11:5)
Maciej Kubik/Samuel Walker - Carlo Rossi/Rares Sipos 3:2 (8:11, 11:8, 6:11, 11:5, 11:7)

1. FC Saarbrücken-TT – TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell 3:0
Eduard Ionescu – Thibault Poret 3:2 (3:11, 15:13, 5:11, 11:3, 11:7)
Patrick Franziska – Ruwen Filus 3:0 (11:6, 11:2, 11:2)
Darko Jorgic – Fanbo Meng 3:0 (18:16, 11:8, 11:5)

TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen – TSV Bad Königshofen 2:3
Hugo Calderano – Filip Zeljko 3:1 (11:3, 14:12, 9:11, 11:6)
Simon Gauzy – Jin Ueda 3:0 (11:8, 11:8, 11:7)
Samuel Kulczycki – Bastian Steger 2:3 (6:11, 11:6, 12:10, 9:11, 8:11)
Hugo Calderano – Jin Ueda 1:3 (15:17, 11:7, 8:11, 7:11)
Simon Gauzy/Samuel Kulczycki – Bastian Steger/Filip Zeljko 2:3 (11:6, 7:11, 9:11, 11:8, 9:11)

Monday, 05. Februar
19.00: SV Werder Bremen – Post SV Mühlhausen

Featured image: Yi-Hsin Feng from TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau (Photo: Wolfgang Heil)