Bundesliga

Record champions Borussia Düsseldorf won the Matchday 8 TTBL showcase 3–1 against TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt. It is an important step toward the play-offs for the Rhinelanders; Dang Qiu won the much-anticipated duel of Germany’s leading players against Benedikt Duda.

There was no sign of fatigue from the hosts. Fewer than 40 hours earlier, Qiu and company had secured a crucial 3–0 away win at Real Club Cajasur Priego in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16, yet on Sunday lunchtime Düsseldorf were sharp from the first point. Qiu claimed the opener against Romain Ruiz. At 10–6 up with a two-game lead, he unexpectedly had to go another round: Ruiz pulled out the unorthodox “strawberry flip” three times in a row and stole the game 13–11. Qiu then rediscovered his rhythm and closed it out in four.

Benedikt Duda looked set to follow suit. He dominated Anton Källberg for two games, but the Swede fought back and forced a decider. There, Källberg trailed for long stretches before seizing control down the stretch and converting his second match point — 2–0 for the hosts at the interval.

Qiu seals it in the marquee match-up

After the break, Kanak Jha had the first chance to finish the job against his former club. Despite a spectacular surge in game two — from 2–7 to 11–7 — Leo de Nodrest held firm under pressure to win in four. That set up the meeting of Germany’s No. 1 and No. 2.

Riding a strong run of form up to No. 9 in the world, Qiu dictated the rallies for two games and forced Duda into adjustments. Only at 4–8 in the third did Duda flip the switch and claw back the game. In the fourth, Qiu reasserted himself, taking the rubber 3–1 — and with it the overall tie for Düsseldorf. “Dang is in great form after the WTT event in London. He has a lot of confidence and deserved the win,” Duda told Dyn.

Two dates with Bad Homburg ahead for Borussia

In the table, Düsseldorf moved past Bergneustadt and also benefited from Bremen’s defeat. Next week brings a Bad Homburg double: on Tuesday the German Cup quarter-final, and on Saturday the TTBL meeting in the same pairing. “The cup game is very important. We have to prepare so we’re in top shape again on Tuesday,” said Källberg.

Bergneustadt remain on play-off course and host ASC Grünwettersbach next Sunday, a side brimming with confidence after a 3–0 over leaders SV Werder Bremen.

Matchday 8 fixtures

Borussia Dortmund – TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau 3–1
Kristian Karlsson – Luka Mladenovic 3–1 (11:7, 11:4, 6:11, 11:4)
Cedric Nuytinck – Feng Yi-Hsin 1–3 (8:11, 8:11, 11:6, 4:11)
Adam Szudi – Maciej Kubik 3–1 (11:6, 7:11, 11:2, 11:4)
Kristian Karlsson – Feng Yi-Hsin 3–2 (5:11, 13:11, 5:11, 11:8, 11:8)

Bad Königshofen – Post SV Mühlhausen 1–3
Filip Zeljko – Marcos Freitas 2–3 (9:11, 10:12, 11:7, 11:9, 7:11)
Daniel Habesohn – Kay Stumper 1–3 (12:10, 4:11, 7:11, 8:11)
Bastian Steger – Steffen Mengel 3–2 (8:11, 8:11, 11:9, 11:9, 11:6)
Filip Zeljko – Kay Stumper 0–3 (13:15, 5:11, 3:11)

TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell – TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen 1–3
Jonathan Groth – Andreas Levenko 2–3 (12:10, 6:11, 6:11, 11:8, 5:11)
Fanbo Meng – Iulian Chirita 3–1 (4:11, 11:6, 11:8, 11:9)
Dimitrij Ovtcharov – Shunsuke Togami 1–3 (5:11, 3:11, 11:7, 7:11)
Jonathan Groth – Iulian Chirita 1–3 (9:11, 10:12, 11:8, 12:14)

Borussia Düsseldorf – TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt 3–1
Dang Qiu – Romain Ruiz 3–1 (11:8, 11:9, 11:13, 11:5)
Anton Källberg – Benedikt Duda 3–2 (4:11, 7:11, 11:3, 11:6, 11:9)
Kanak Jha – Leo de Nodrest 2–3 (6:11, 11:7, 9:11, 11:4, 9:11)
Dang Qiu – Benedikt Duda 3–1 (11:9, 11:6, 9:11, 11:5)

ASC Grünwettersbach – SV Werder Bremen 3–0
Hiroto Shinozuka – Marcel Aguirre 3–0 (11:5, 11:7, 11:5)
Tiago Apolonia – Kirill Gerassimenko 3–2 (11:6, 6:11, 11:13, 11:9, 12:10)
Tobias Hippler – Mattias Falck 3–1 (11:4, 3:11, 11:9, 12:10)

Sunday, 16 November:
3:30 p.m.: 1. FC Saarbrücken-TT – TTC OE Clarity-Telefonie Systeme Bad Homburg

Picture: Dang Qiu of Borussia Düsseldorf (Photo: Jörg Furhmann)