Germany’s men booked their place in the quarterfinals of the ITTF World Championships Finals in London after a convincing 3-0 victory over Hong Kong, setting up another showdown with Japan in the battle for a medal.
The two sides already met in the opening stage of the tournament last Saturday, and they will now face each other again on Thursday at 13:30 in a decisive knockout clash.
Earlier in the day, Japan secured their quarterfinal spot with a 3-1 win over Kazakhstan. Germany followed later in the evening, as Benedikt DUDA, Dang QIU and Patrick FRANZISKA delivered a composed performance, supported loudly from the bench by Dimitrij OVTCHAROV and Andre BERTELSMEIER.
Germany’s head coach Jörg ROSSKOPF praised his team after the win, highlighting both the preparation and the difficulty of the encounter despite the clear scoreline.
“I’m very proud of the team. Hong Kong came with a very good plan. It was a difficult opening match for Benne, and beating the opponent’s number one always gives the team extra confidence. In the end it looks like a clear 3-0 victory, but the matches were much closer than the score suggests. At this stage every match is tough because only the best teams are left in the tournament. We were very well prepared again today and fully deserved our place in the quarterfinals.”
Benedikt DUDA once again led from the front in the opening match. Facing experienced Hong Kong star Wong Chun Ting, the European Championships finalist controlled the match with clever placement and varied serves to give Germany an important early advantage with a four-game victory.
“I’m used to these number-one clashes from the Bundesliga. I was prepared for both possible opponents and entered the match with confidence. I had to fight hard at times because he had a strong tactical plan, but overall I’m satisfied with my performance,” said DUDA.
Dang Qiu then extended Germany’s lead with a straight-games win over Hong Kong’s young prospect Chan Baldwin. The European champion showed his composure particularly in the second game, recovering from deficits of 2-7 and 7-10 to turn the set around.
Patrick FRANZISKA sealed the victory with a 3-1 success against Lam Siu Hang. Although the German had to work hard against the world No. 95, he stayed patient during the longer rallies and managed to close out the tie.
“It wasn’t an easy match. His balls come a little slower compared to most opponents and that disturbed my rhythm at times. I missed several backhand openings that I would normally make. Still, I stayed focused and handled the long rallies well. Winning these uncomfortable matches also gives me confidence,” FRANZISKA explained.
Germany’s focus now shifts fully to Thursday’s quarterfinal against Japan, with a place on the podium at stake.
“Against Japan we will give absolutely everything. This is no longer the group stage – it’s a completely new match and now it’s about fighting for a medal,” said DUDA.
QIU also expects another intense battle.
“We will need the same fighting spirit as in the first match against them. Japan are one of the top teams in the world and the level is extremely high. The form of the day will decide it. I hope I can reproduce the performance I had in our first meeting because it will definitely be another hot match.”
Germany – Hong Kong 3-0
- Benedikt DUDA – WONG Chun Ting 3-1 (11-7, 7-11, 11-4, 11-7)
- Dang QIU – CHAN Baldwin 3-0 (11-9, 12-10, 11-7)
- Patrick FRANZISKA – LAM Siu Hang 3-1 (10-12, 11-9, 11-5, 13-11)
