Bundesliga

TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen produced a surprisingly emphatic away win to wrap up Matchday 12 in the Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL). At TTC Zugbrucke Grenzau, the defending champions remained spotless despite the absence of TTBL top player Shunsuke Togami, strengthening their play-off position at the start of the second half of the season. Grenzau now face a pivotal clash with Bad Konigshofen.

Even after an encouraging restart, the title holders are sticking to their internal approach. “Our goal is less about results; we want to improve, fight and strengthen our team spirit,” Andreas Levenko told Dyn when asked about Ochsenhausen’s ambitions. The fact that the club from Upper Swabia are level on points with 1. FC Saarbrucken TT and superstar Fan Zhendong after 12 matchdays, and four points clear of fellow contenders TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt, is “just a nice by-product of the good work,” the Austrian added.

Despite the upbeat mood, head coach Bogdan Pugna could be facing a small dilemma. With Togami sidelined, Pugna turned to young talents Iulian Chirita and Leonardo Iizuka, alongside 27-year-old Andreas Levenko, who is still relatively inexperienced at Bundesliga level. All three delivered points on Wednesday evening, leaving the TTF coach with a selection headache once Togami returns. Tiago Abiodun has also hinted at his potential in his appearances so far. “I actually find it funny that I’m the oldest,” Levenko joked. “Twenty-seven isn’t that old, but in this team it is.”

Only Kubik comes close to a point for Grenzau

Ochsenhausen’s Iizuka and Chirita set the tone with two identical 3:1 wins, both coming from 0:1 down. While Chirita needed only a brief adjustment period before handling Luka Mladenovic’s anti-topspin rubber, it was Iizuka who especially impressed his team-mates. “I’m genuinely, from the bottom of my heart, happy for Leo,” Levenko said of the Brazilian, who claimed his first win of the season against Feng Yi-Hsin. Levenko himself then edged Maciej Kubik in the deciding set.

The result leaves Grenzau second from bottom in the table. Saturday now brings a truly defining encounter: at bottom side TSV Bad Konigshofen, they can either land a small breakthrough—or risk slipping to last place. Ochsenhausen remain fourth.

Matchday 12 fixtures

TTC Zugbrucke Grenzau – TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen 0:3
Feng Yi-Hsin – Leonardo Iizuka 1:3 (12:10, 6:11, 5:11, 3:11)
Luka Mladenovic – Iulian Chirita 1:3 (11:6, 7:11, 5:11, 6:11)
Maciej Kubik – Andreas Levenko 2:3 (4:11, 11:9, 4:11, 11:5, 8:11)

SV Werder Bremen – TSV Bad Konigshofen 1:3
Mattias Falck – Andre Bertelsmeier 3:0 (11:5, 11:7, 11:5)
Marcelo Aguirre – Bastian Steger 2:3 (4:11, 15:13, 9:11, 12:10, 9:11)
Kirill Gerassimenko – Daniel Habesohn 2:3 (11:8, 7:11, 13:15, 13:11, 8:11)
Mattias Falck – Bastian Steger 1:3 (8:11, 13:11, 4:11, 8:11)

Borussia Dortmund – 1. FC Saarbrucken TT 3:2
Kristian Karlsson – Patrick Franziska 3:0 (11:8, 11:8, 11:8)
Alberto Mino – Fan Zhendong 0:3 (4:11, 9:11, 5:11)
Adam Szudi – Eduard Ionescu 3:1 (11:5, 11:6, 9:11, 11:8)
Kristian Karlsson – Fan Zhendong 0:3 (8:11, 9:11, 3:11)
Cedric Nuytinck/Adam Szudi – Patrick Franziska/Eduard Ionescu 3:1 (11:9, 11:8, 8:11, 11:9)

ASC Grunwettersbach – Post SV Muhlhausen 1:3
Tiago Apolonia – Ovidiu Ionescu 3:2 (12:10, 8:11, 13:11, 6:11, 11:7)
Tom Jarvis – Steffen Mengel 1:3 (11:13, 11:6, 10:12, 8:11)
Hiroto Shinozuka – Marcos Freitas (9:11, 11:9, 10:12, 8:11)
Tobias Hippler – Steffen Mengel 1:3 (8:11, 11:9, 3:11, 6:11)

TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt – Borussia Dusseldorf 2:3
Romain Ruiz – Li Yongyin 3:2 (5:11, 11:6, 7:11, 12:10, 11:4)
Benedikt Duda – Anton Kallberg 3:0 (11:7, 14:12, 12:10)
Leo de Nodrest – Dang Qiu 0:3 (9:11, 9:11, 4:11)
Romain Ruiz – Anton Kallberg 1:3 (11:6, 0:11, 5:11, 1:11)
Benedikt Duda/Leo de Nodrest – Dang Qiu/Li Yongyin 1:3 (11:5, 6:11, 9:11, 12:14)

TTC RhonSprudel Fulda-Maberzell – TTC OE Clarity-Telefonie Systeme Bad Homburg 1:3
Ruwen Filus – Csaba Andras 0:3 (8:11, 10:12, 11:13)
Dimitrij Ovtcharov – Jo Yokotani 3:1 (11:8, 12:10, 8:11, 11:6)
Fanbo Meng – Juan Perez 1:3 (4:11, 11:7, 7:11, 11:13)
Ruwen Filus – Jo Yokotani 2:3 (13:11, 11:5, 4:11, 9:11, 5:11)

All matches are streamed live on Dyn.

Picture: Andreas Levenko of TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen (Photo: Nicolai Schaal)