Bundesliga

ASV Grünwettersbach celebrated a 3-2 home win against TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt on matchday 15 of the Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL). This means that the Karlsruhe team ends a series of six defeats in a row and gives themselves some breathing room in the fight to stay in the league. Bergneustadt, on the other hand, slipped out of the play-off ranks.

Times are not that easy for ASV Grünwettersbach at the moment. In addition to the current struggle for financing, the lead over the bottom of the table has shrunk to two points in the last few weeks. The last victory came on matchday 7 in mid-October. The opponent back then: the TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt. A good omen?

At least the hosts got off to a better start in the person of Tiago Apolonia. The Portuguese needed a set against Benedikt Duda to get up to speed, but then brought the game home in four sets. The singles between Deni Kozul and Romain Ruiz was much more competitive. Both played a game at eye level over the entire distance, in which three of the five sets were only decided in extra time. This also applies to round number five, which Ruiz won on his side with the third match point.

3:0 three times

The story of the following three games, however, is quickly told: Ricardo Walther remained without losing a set against Adrien Rassenfosse, as did Romain Ruiz against Tiago Apolonia. 2:2. So the doubles had to bring the decision, in which Deni Kozul and Ricardo Walther ultimately ensured Karlsruhe's home win with a clear win against Benedikt Duda and Adrien Rassefosse.

Voices about the game

Romain Ruiz, TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt: “It's not easy to play here. The spectators always support their team loudly. Games of Benedikt and Tiago are always 50:50 games. Unfortunately today with a better outcome for Tiago. Overall, unfortunately it wasn’t enough today.”

Ricardo Walther, ASV Grünwettersbach: “Tiago’s start against Benedikt was important for us. In doubles I was surprised that it went so well. Tactically we did well. Looking at the table, the win today was very important. We are now four points ahead of last place. But we cannot rest on our laurels. Nothing has been decided yet.”

World Cup break in the TTBL

TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen and SV Werder Bremen will end the 15th matchday on Sunday from 1 p.m. before many TTBL players head to Korea for the team world championship.

Overview of matchday 15

ASV Grünwettersbach - TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt 3:2
Tiago Apolonia - Benedikt Duda 3:1 (9:11, 11:7, 11:7, 12:10)
Deni Kozul - Romain Ruiz 2:3 (18:16, 10:12, 7:11, 11:6, 10:12)
Ricardo Walther - Adrien Rassenfosse 3:0 (11:4, 12:10, 11:5)
Tiago Apolonia - Romain Ruiz 0:3 (9:11, 10:12, 7:11)
Kozul/Walther - Rassenfosse/Duda 3:0 (11:4, 11:7, 11:5)

1. FSV Mainz 05 - TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell 3:2
Rares Sipos - Fanbo Meng 3:2 (7:11, 16:14, 4:11, 11:9, 11:8)
Luka Mladenovic - Chih-Yuan Chuang 3:1 (11:7, 9:11, 11:6, 13:11)
Carlo Rossi - Ruwen Filus 2:3 (11:7, 7:11, 7:11, 11:9, 9:11)
Rares Sipos - Chih-Yuan Chuang 2:3 (10:12, 11:5, 11:8, 10:12, 13:15)
Mladenovic/Rossi - Filus/Meng 3:2 (11:8, 3:11, 11:8, 5:11, 11:8)

1.FC Saarbrücken-TT - TSV Bad Königshofen 3:0
Darko Jorgic - Filip Zeljko 3:2 (7:11, 4:11, 13:11, 13:11, 11:8)
Eduard Ionescu - Jin Ueda 3:2 (11:9, 8:11, 7:11, 11:4, 11:4)
Patrick Franziska - Martin Allegro 3:0 (11:8, 11:9, 11:7)

Borussia Düsseldorf - Post SV Mühlhausen 3:0
Anton Källberg - Irvin Bertrang 3:1 (11:7, 6:11, 11:7, 11:9)
Kay Stumper - Ovidiu Ionescu 3:1 (11:4, 11:9, 10:12, 11:6)
Timo Boll - Steffen Mengel 3:2 (10:12, 12:10, 9:11, 11:7, 11:6)

Sunday February 11th, 2024
1 pm: TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen - SV Werder Bremen

All games will be broadcast live on Dyn.

Featured image: Ricardo Walther (Photo: BeLa Sportfoto)