Bundesliga

In a social media poll, fans of the Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL) were able to vote for their ‘TTBL Player of the Month for August’ for the first time since the end of the summer break, based on results from both the TTBL and international WTT tournaments. From a shortlist of five candidates, double world champion Shunsuke Togami (TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen) came out on top against world runner-up Hugo Calderano, Patrick Franziska (both 1. FC Saarbrücken-TT), Mattias Karlsson (Werder Bremen) and Dimitrij Ovtcharov (TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell).

In the early stages of the new season in the Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL), Shunsuke Togami was almost single-handedly responsible for TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen’s impressive run. Prior to his 3–2 upset in his club’s cup clash with Borussia Düsseldorf against Olympic champion Fan Zhendong, the double world champion had played a key role in the Upper Swabians’ dream start to the race for places in the TTBL Final4, having secured four consecutive victories in the first two rounds (12–4 sets). The fact that TTF will not be taking part in the next Liebherr Cup Final4 was not down to Togami: At the Leapmotor Cup Grand Opening in Nuremberg, the Japanese player posted an outstanding record of 4:0 wins (12:2) following matches against Düsseldorf in the round of 16 (3:1) and TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell in the quarter-finals (2:3).

The TTBL community paid tribute, by a large majority, to Togami’s performances so far this season, which is still in its early stages. With 58 per cent of the total votes, the Asian player won the poll decisively, securing the fan vote for the second time following his success last September.

Such was the appreciation for the right-hander’s remarkable early-season form at the start of the TTBL and in the cup that the top-20 player’s modest results in August at the high-calibre WTT Champions in Yokohama (first-round exit) and Europe Smash in Malmö (round of 16) seemed to cause little concern. Shortly before the August voting closed, however, Togami once again made a strong statement – not only in his part-time home of Germany but also beyond – by successfully defending his title at the WTT Contender in Almaty.

In fact, Togami’s development into one of the TTBL’s absolute top players has become impossible to overlook. In his third year since returning, Togami is now delivering just as reliably for the TTF as the former world runner-up Hugo Calderano once did. Accordingly, Togami had earned the praise from Ochsenhausen’s president, Kristijan Pejinovic, following the cup knockout victory against Fulda. “Hats off to Shunsuke. He carried the team. We’re proud to have him on our side. The others can and must take their cue from him.”

The competition will probably have little choice but to follow suit.

Florian Manzke

Featured image above: Shunsuke Togami of TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen (Photo: BeLaSportfoto)