Champions league finalists will meet in the LIEBHERR TTBL-Final once again

May 15, 2023
10:22 am
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In LIEBHERR TTBL-Final Borussia Düsseldorf will meet 1. FC Saarbrücken TT. The ultimate stage will be played on July 9^th.

Champions league winners this season 1. FC Saarbrücken TT has capitalized on their second match point and secured their spot in the Liebherr TTBL-Final for the fifth consecutive time. On Sunday the reigning vice champion won the third and deciding match against the TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen in the semi-final playoffs of the Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL) with a score of 3-1.

With a clenched fist Patrick FRANZISKA celebrated towards the Saarbrücken fans on Sunday afternoon and was praised for his phenomenal series. The German national player had stepped up to the table six times throughout the playoffs emerging victorious each time. He became the guarantee of success for the 1. FC Saarbrücken TT. With their 3-1 victory in the third match against the TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen the FCS secured their place in the Liebherr TTBL-Finale.

“In the final Düsseldorf now has a bit more pressure ” said Franziska after the match. “They really want the title especially against us after their bitter defeat in the Champions League final.” In early April Saarbrücken and Düsseldorf had reached the Golden Match in the TTCLM with FCS eventually prevailing and winning the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history. In the TTBL this final pairing has already occurred in the past two years with Borussia coming out on top both times. This marks Saarbrücken’s fifth consecutive entry into the Liebherr TTBL-Finale.

On Sunday Franziska already disrupted Ochsenhausen’s game plan in the opening singles match. The guests had placed Simon GAUZY in the second position and hoped for a breakthrough but to no avail. Franziska won 3-1 (11-6 11-7 5-11 11-8) putting Saarbrücken on the path to victory. “We tried to surprise the opponent with our lineup ” explained TTF President Kristijan PEJINOVIC. “Simon was supposed to give his all in his singles match at the second position and then possibly shine again in the final doubles. It wasn’t meant to be.”

After Franziska’s opening win Darko JORGIC continued the success for FCS by defeating Alvaro ROBLES 3-1 (11-6 11-3 8-11 11-5). Although Samuel KULCZYCKI managed to reduce the deficit for the guests with a 3-1 victory (13-11 11-9 11-13 11-6) against Cedric Nuytinck providing a glimmer of hope for Ochsenhausen. However it was Franziska’s turn again and with his sixth singles victory in a week and a half he secured Saarbrücken’s place in the final. The 30-year-old defeated ROBLES 3-1 (11-6 12-14 11-6 11-7).

“Patrick did an excellent job ” remarked KULCZYCKI. “We did our best but unfortunately it wasn’t enough. Saarbrücken played incredibly strong.”

The record champions Borussia Düsseldorf have smoothly advanced to the Liebherr TTBL-Final. In the second playoff match against Post SV Mühlhausen the Borussians didn’t leave much room for doubt. Only Anton KÄLLBERG faced some initial difficulties.

The best chances to challenge the favorites came at the beginning from Ovidiu IONESCU. The Romanian took an 8-1 lead against Anton KÄLLBERG before the Swede found his rhythm. IONESCU managed to save the set with an 11-9 win. In the fiercely contested second game he initially saved two set points but failed to convert his own allowing Källberg to level the game and eventually turn it around. KÄLLBERG sealed the victory for Düsseldorf in the fourth set with the fifth match point. Dang QIU swiftly expanded their lead afterward. He demonstrated his dominance against Daniel HABESOHN in the first two games. Although the Austrian made the third set more competitive he still lost it.

After the break it was up to Kay STUMPER to secure the spot in the final in a duel against Irvin BERTRAND. After two hard-fought sets which STUMPER won in the respective extensions he quickly dispatched the Frenchman in the third set with an 11-4 score. He propelled his team into the Liebherr TTBL-Final.

3^rd match