Member Associations | 6 Jan 2021

Timo BOLL: In Champions League we have tasted blood again

LIEBHERR Cup final in Germany this Saturday

 

On Saturday, Timo BOLL and mighty Borussia Düsseldorf will compete in the LIEBHERR Cup final. In the semifinals of the Final Four tournament it they will meet ASV Grünwettersbach; in other duel TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen will play against TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt

Borussia Düsseldorf has been in excellent shape since the start of the season. As always they aiming at all titles.

"We just worked hard, partly in our homes, partly in the German Table Tennis Center in Düsseldorf. And basically, we have a strong team," said Timo BOLL.

Anton KÄLLBERG is one of the top players in the Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL) with a 14: 1 record this season and even remained unbeaten in the Champions League. How do you see its development?

"Anton is still a young athlete who is now in a flow and works consistently well. This is also noticeable at the table. It undoubtedly has great potential."

Shortly before Christmas, Düsseldorf won the Champions League. How important was this sense of achievement after two years without a title?

"It is clear that it was good for all of us. Now we've tasted blood again. It was especially important for the many people behind and around the team, who do a self-sacrificing work so that we can offer good performance."

Your personal results are also convincing, but you did not always seem in top form. How badly do you still have the back problems from the summer?

"I haven't been in top form for a long time, that's right. I had significant problems with my back in the summer and was completely without match practice. But now I'm on the right track."

On January 9th, the Final Four will commence with the semi-finals against ASV Grünwettersbach, against whom Düsseldorf has won nine of the last ten games. How do you rate your opponent?

"They are a very strong opponent that we don't judge based on our previous record, but based on the individual strengths of the players."

It will be a special game for Ricardo WALTHER and Dang QIU in particular. His teammate WALTHER will move to Grünwettersbach in the summer, QIU will go the opposite way. How do you as a player deal with such a situation?

"Oh, you should not ask me that question because I have never been in this position. (laughs) But I am sure Ricardo and Dang will ignore that and give everything for their current club."

The final will be played against the winner of the other game between TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen and TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt. Which adversary do you want for the final?

"First of all we have to beat Grünwettersbach. Everything else is a dream of the future."

The final will be shown live on SPORT1 and in the stream of Sportdeutschland.TV from 3.30 p.m.