International

ASC Grünwettersbach's European journey in the current season has come to an end. After the first leg, the tenth-placed team in the Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL) also lost the return match against Roskilde Bordtennis BTK 61 1-3, thus being eliminated in the round of 16 of the Europe Cup.

After losing 1-3 in the first leg last Wednesday, ASC Grünwettersbach needed a 3-0 or 3-1 win in their home match against Roskilde Bordtennis BTK 61 to reach the golden match and keep their quarterfinal hopes alive. However, the fans' hopes of success were in vain: in Saturday's return leg, the Baden team lost 1-3 to the Danish club and were thus eliminated from the Europe Cup.

Jens Lundqvist was the decisive hurdle for Grünwettersbach in both matches: Roskilde's top player defeated ASC debutant Divyansh Srivastava (3-2) and Tobias Hippler (3:1) in the first leg, and Damian Floro (3-0) and Hippler again (3-0) in the second leg. Tobias Rasmussen was also successful for the Danes in both matches: the former Grünwettersbach player, who won the German Table Tennis Cup with the club in 2020, beat Ricardo Walther (3-2) and Hippler (3-1). Hippler (3-0 against Anders Eriksson) was successful for ASC in the first leg and Srivastava (3-2 against Eriksson) in the second leg.

Grünwettersbach had previously been relegated to the Europe Cup via the Champions League. In its debut season in the top flight, the current tenth-placed team in the Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL) had advanced to the knockout stage with three wins in Stage 1, where it was eliminated in the round of 16 by GV Hennebont TT (1-3, 0-3).

Europe Cup: Round of 16 at a glance

Leg 1

Roskilde Bordtennis BTK 61 – ASC Grünwettersbach 3:1
Jens Lundqvist – Divyansh Srivastava 3:2 (11:7, 6:11, 9:11, 11:3, 6:3)
Anders Eriksson – Tobias Hippler 0:3 (6:11, 6:11, 6:11)
Tobias Rasmussen – Ricardo Walther 3:2 (11:9, 6:11, 6:11, 11:9, 6:4)
Jens Lundqvist – Tobias Hippler 3:1 (11:7, 11:7, 9:11, 11:2)

AS Pontoise Cergy TT – SolexConsult TTC Wiener Neustadt 3:2
UTTC Paneceo Stockerau – TTC Sokah Hoboken 2:3
Enoli Borges Vall – SF SKK El Nino Praha 0:3
STK Vyhne – Dojlidy Bialystok 3:1
Lille Metropole TT – SKST Havirov 3:0
ASD Marcozzi Cagliari – Real Club Cajasur Priego TM 3:2
Energa Manekin Torun – HB Ostrov z.s. 1:3

Leg 2

ASC Grünwettersbach – Roskilde Bordtennis BTK 61 1:3
Tobias Hippler – Tobias Rasmussen 1:3 (9:11, 9:11, 12:10, 6:11)
Damian Floro – Jens Lundqvist 0:3 (10:12, 12:14, 6:11)
Divyansh Srivastava – Anders Eriksson 3:2 (9:11, 11:4, 11:9, 5:11, 6:4)
Tobias Hippler – Jens Lundqvist 0:3 (6:11, 8:11, 8:11)

SolexConsult TTC Wiener Neustadt – AS Pontoise Cergy TT 0:3
TTC Sokah Hoboken – UTTC Paneceo Stockerau 3:0
SF SKK El Nino Praha – Enoli Borges Vall 3:0
Dojlidy Bialystok – STK Vyhne 2:3
SKST Havirov – Lille Metropole TT 0:3
Real Club Cajasur Priego TM – ASD Marcozzi Cagliari 3:1
HB Ostrov z.s. – Energa Manekin Torun 3:1

Header photo: ASC Grünwettersbach's Tobias Hippler (by Hansruedi Lüthi)