The twelve-part tournament series Duesseldorf Masters ended today with the victory for Berlin’s Nina MITTELHAM. The number 39th in the World prevailed against her national team colleague Kristin LANG (Kolbermoor) in the duel of the 2018 European doubles champions in the second Women’s Masters. One week ago DANG Qiu from Gruenwettersbach secured the overall victory in the Men’s final edition. Whether there will be a continuation of the successful tournament format introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic is still open at the moment.
In a new edition of the final game of the German Championships 2020 Nina MITTELHAM again prevailed. However the ARAG CenterCourt today was not as exciting as the meeting in Chemnitz at the beginning of March when MITTELHAM recovered from a 3-0 deficit with four set wins in a row to win a match. At 11:8 11:9 6:11 11:5 and 11:8 the top-seeded 23-year-old had the match under control with the exception of the third game.
After winning the title the MITTELHAM was satisfied: “At the Masters I had my first competitions in a long time. But the level was quite okay. Playing against Kristin is always uncomfortable for me anyway because she is always very stable throughout the match. So I’m a bit surprised that it was so clear today but I’m very happy about it!”
Kristin LANG was not satisfied with her final performance but with the tournament in general: “In the final match I couldn’t call up my form as I did in the semi-final. But it’s always hard against Nina when she’s in a good shape. Nevertheless after six months without competition I am satisfied with the tournament: It was a good start to the season.”
Although MITTELHAM only lost her only set in the final she almost lost it in the semi-final against Talent Annett KAUFMANN. The 14-year-old player from Boeblingen who surprisingly defeated the world number 178th Marie MIGOT (France) yesterday could not keep up with the top favorite over the full distance as expected but delivered a remarkable performance and brought the nine years older world number 39th repeatedly with good balls in distress. In the second game the left-hander even managed to take four set points with a 10:6 lead but did not score a point afterwards.
The later tournament winner Nina MITTELHAM said after the match against the second of the 2019 European Cadet Girls Ranking Tournament: “It was the first time I played against Annett. I was a bit surprised by her playing system but solved the task solidly.”
Kristin LANG won in the round of the best four against the world rankings-51. Hana MATELOVA (Czech Republic). In the end LANG who had been leading 3-0 in the meantime deservedly won in six games after she had already eliminated the number three in the seeding list yesterday Sarah de NUTTE from Luxembourg.
LANG was happy about the victory: “I am actually satisfied with the game. Last time I lost 0-4 so I’m glad that I played well this time and that I’ll be in the final”.
MATELOVA was not satisfied with her start: “In the beginning I didn’t find my way into my game and made many mistakes. Only from the fourth game on I started to play well. That’s why I’m annoyed by the fast 0:3 deficit but I’m quite satisfied with the last three games”.
The twelve-part tournament series Duesseldorf Masters came to an end with the success of MITTELHAM. At the Duesseldorf Masters from the beginning of June to the end of August the young national players of the DTTB surprised the spectators again and again against established world-class players but in the end eight prominent names prevailed in all twelve tournaments with German stars and international guest players. First to enter the winners’ list was Timo BOLL (Masters I) followed by Dimitrij OVTCHAROV (Masters II Masters III and Masters IX) Benedidkt DUDA (Masters VI and Masters X) DANG Qiu (Masters VII and Masters Final) Bastian STEGER (Masters IV) as the only foreign winner the Swede Anton KÄLLBERG (Masters VIII) as well as at the women’s tournaments HAN Ying (Masters V) and Nina MITTELHAM (Masters XII).
Whether the Duesseldorf Masters organized by Borussia Duesseldorf with the support of the German Table Tennis Federation will continue will depend not least on the further course of the Covid 19 pandemic. The tournament series was created in order to enable the stars practicing in Duesseldorf to play in times of a completely cut down tournament calendar in addition to training.
Borussia Duesseldorf spokesman Alex SCHILLING said: “Bringing the Masters into being was the right decision. Since it was well received we are naturally discussing whether and how there could be a sequel. But from September on the Bundesleague will be played again and we have to see what the world association ITTF does. If things really get rolling again in the tournament calendar it will be difficult with a time window. But if things remain quiet internationally then I could imagine that we might see another Duesseldorf Masters at the ARAG CenterCourt this year.”
Duesseldorf Masters XII (August 29-30)
Final August 30
Nina Mittelham GER – Kristin Lang GER 4:1 (8 9 -6 5 8)
Semifinals August 30
Nina Mittelham GER – Annett Kaufmann GER 4:0 (8 10 8 6)
Hana Matelova CZE – Kristin Lang GER 2:4 (-6 -5 -7 7 6 -8)
