Bundesliga

After four matches without a win, TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen returned to winning ways on Matchday 17 in the TTBL and kicked off their final push in the race for the play-offs. At TSV Bad Königshofen, Shunsuke Togami was in top form and led the TTF to a 3–1 victory with two points. For the hosts, the defeat was a setback after their recent statement win in Dortmund, but in the relegation battle the Bavarians remain above the line.

For TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen, it was a familiar picture: Shunsuke Togami plays, wins twice – and the defending champions head home with two points in the bag. The Japanese star is well aware of how important he is to the squad, but he does not see it as a burden. “At the start, the season worried me a little because we lost two good players,” Togami told Dyn, looking back on the campaign after the departures of Simon Gauzy and Hugo Calderano. Over time, though, the season with “the young team” has become more “fun”, he said, “and everyone is improving”.

As a result, the defending champions may not be among the leading title contenders after 17 matchdays, but they still have realistic hopes in the race for fourth place, the final play-off spot. That position is currently held by TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt on 22 points, with Ochsenhausen fifth on 18. For a long time, the Upper Swabians were in the top four, but defeats in direct clashes with their rivals pushed the TTF out of the provisional play-off positions.

Togami with two points

The first point of the night went to Bastian Steger, who beat Andreas Levenko 3–0. Bad Königshofen’s No. 1 is enjoying a strong Bundesliga season – it was already his 13th win of the campaign. Togami replied for the TTF: he dropped a set against Daniel Habesohn but came through 3–1. After the break, Iulian Chirita returned to the Ochsenhausen line-up and edged Filip Željko in the match of the night, winning in five sets.

In the final singles, Steger faced Togami. Steger managed to put the Japanese player under pressure time and again, but in the end Togami’s pace and shot quality were too much. “It was the first time I’ve played him. The speed he produces is unbelievable, plus the power,” Steger analysed. “It was very impressive. At times it was simply too fast for me.” In the relegation fight, Bad Königshofen sit tenth, acting as the link between the teams in the bottom places and the lower mid-table.

Matchday 17 fixtures

TSV Bad Königshofen – TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen 1–3
Bastian Steger – Andreas Levenko 3–0 (13–11, 11–2, 11–4)
Daniel Habesohn – Shunsuke Togami 1–3 (7–11, 11–13, 11–9, 4–11)
Filip Željko – Iulian Chirita 2–3 (12–10, 7–11, 11–5, 4–11, 8–11)
Bastian Steger – Shunsuke Togami 1–3 (10–12, 4–11, 12–10, 9–11)

Borussia Düsseldorf – 1. FC Saarbrücken-TT 3–2
Kanak Jha – Fan Zhendong 1–3 (11–6, 8–11, 6–11, 9–11)
Dang Qiu – Patrick Franziska 1–3 (8–11, 4–11, 11–3, 6–11)
Anton Källberg – Cedric Meissner 3–0 (14–12, 11–8, 11–7)
Kanak Jha – Patrick Franziska 3–1 (11–4, 14–16, 11–4, 11–9)
Qiu/Källberg – Meissner/Fan Zhendong 3–1 (12–10, 11–7, 7–11, 11–8)

ASC Grünwettersbach – TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell 2–3
Hiroto Shinozuka – Fanbo Meng 3–0 (11–9, 11–4, 11–7)
Tiago Apolonia – Ruwen Filus 3–1 (11–6, 12–14, 11–6, 13–11)
Tom Jarvis – Jonathan Groth 1–3 (8–11, 9–11, 11–4, 5–11)
Hiroto Shinozuka – Ruwen Filus 2–3 (11–7, 7–11, 7–11, 11–5, 7–11)
Walther/Apolonia – Meng/Groth 0–3 (7–11, 9–11, 7–11)

TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt – SV Werder Bremen 3–2
Benedikt Duda – Irvin Bertrand 3–1 (11–8, 8–11, 11–3, 11–8)
Adrien Rassenfosse – Mattias Falck 1–3 (11–8, 10–12, 11–13, 7–11)
Leo de Nodrest – Kirill Gerassimenko 1–3 (6–11, 11–8, 5–11, 6–11)
Benedikt Duda – Mattias Falck 3–1 (13–15, 23–21, 11–9, 11–5)
de Nodrest/Rassenfosse – Gerassimenko/Bertrand 3–0 (11–7, 11–8, 11–9)

Sunday, 15 February:
5:00 pm: Post SV Mühlhausen – TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau

Monday, 16 February:
7:00 pm: TTC OE Clarity-Telefonie Systeme Bad Homburg – Borussia Dortmund

Picture: Shunsuke Togami of TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen (Photo: Vincenz Bendel)