Bundesliga

On paper, a clear 3–0 saw SV Werder Bremen preserve their lead in the Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL). Ultimately, though, it was Bremen’s stronger nerves on Sunday afternoon against TSV Bad Königshofen that proved decisive, with the hosts slipping back to the bottom of the table.

Daniel Habesohn could hardly believe it immediately after the match. “The first two matches 2–3 — mine even with match point,” the Austrian lamented on Dyn. “It could have gone differently.” Bremen’s Mattias Falck attributed his team’s composure to their position in the table: “So much comes down to confidence. That lets you be a bit more relaxed — maybe that was the difference.”

Before that, Falck’s teammates had won both opening singles in a deciding game. Marcelo Aguirre struck first; in his only appearance so far this season, he famously beat Saarbrücken’s superstar Fan Zhendong. Against Bastian Steger he needed two games to settle, but then — much like against Fan — played with freedom and emotion. After five hard-fought games, Aguirre converted his second match point.

Contrast to the opener: Gerassimenko prevents the comeback

Habesohn nearly replicated Aguirre’s trick. Trailing 0–2, the TSV player battled back to force a decider and even held match point. But Kirill Gerassimenko saved it and whipped Habesohn’s slightly long serve away with the forehand to clinch the match.

After the interval, it was André Bertelsmeier’s turn to spark a miracle against the league leaders. The youngster started strongly against Falck, leading 10–7 in the first. Yet again, the Bremen player kept his cool, flipped that crucial opener and increasingly landed his forehand kills — wrapping it up in three.

Thus, after six matchdays, Werder Bremen and Bad Königshofen sit at opposite ends of the TTBL table: Bremen are the only club with just one defeat, while only Bad Homburg, alongside Bad Königshofen, remain on two points. The two bottom clubs meet in a key clash on 11 November in Bad Homburg.

Matchday 6 fixtures

TSV Bad Königshofen – SV Werder Bremen 0–3
Bastian Steger – Marcelo Aguirre 2–3 (11:7, 11:3, 8:11, 9:11, 10:12)
Daniel Habesohn – Kirill Gerassimenko 2–3 (7:11, 11:13, 11:9, 11:9, 10:12)
Andre Bertelsmeier – Mattias Falck 0–3 (10:12, 6:11, 7:11)

1. FC Saarbrücken-TT – Post SV Mühlhausen 3–0
Eduard Ionescu – Ivo Quett 3–0 (11:3, 11:7, 11:6)
Darko Jorgic – Ovidiu Ionescu 3–2 (12:10, 7:11, 11:8, 11:13, 11:7)
Patrick Franziska – Erik Schreyer 3–0 (11:3, 11:6, 11:4)

TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen – TTC OE Clarity-Telefonie Systeme Bad Homburg 3–0
Iulian Chirita – Ivor Ban 3–2 (5:11, 11:6, 11:13, 11:6, 11:4)
Andreas Levenko – Juan Perez 3–0 (11:9, 11:5, 11:8)
Tiago Abiodun – Csaba Andras 3–1 (11:9, 10:12, 12:10, 11:6)

TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau – Borussia Düsseldorf 1–3
Maciej Kubik – Li Yongyin 3–2 (7:11, 9:11, 11:9, 13:11, 11:8)
Samuel Walker – Kanak Jha 1–3 (6:11, 11:9, 9:11, 10:12)
Martin Allegro – Anton Källberg 0–3 (2:11, 7:11, 5:11)
Maciej Kubik – Kanak Jha 2–3 (12:10, 10:12, 8:11, 12:10, 8:11)

Sunday, 26 October
5 p.m.: TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell – ASC Grünwettersbach
6 p.m.: Borussia Dortmund – TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt

All matches are broadcast live on Dyn.

Picture: Mattias Falck of SV Werder Bremen (Photo: SV Werder Bremen)