Member Associations | 8 Jan 2024

Borussia Düsseldorf clinched the German Table Tennis Cup for the 28th time

Borussia Düsseldorf clinched the German Table Tennis Cup for the 28th time. In the LIEBHERR Cup Final Four, Timo BOLL and his team first defeated ASV Grünwettersbach and then clinched the title in the final against 1. FC Saarbrücken TT, thus claiming the first title of the season. The organizing German Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL) can rejoice with around 5000 fans in the once again sold-out ratiopharm arena Ulm/Neu-Ulm, confirming the spectator record.

Timo BOLL showed an unusually emotional side on Sunday afternoon. With raised arms, a broad grin, and visibly satisfied, the table tennis superstar took a lap around the arena. Just moments before, BOLL, with Borussia Düsseldorf, won the German Table Tennis Cup final against 1. FC Saarbrücken TT with a score of 3:0

BOLL himself sealed the final with a decisive point. Against Darko JORGIC, he found himself a 1:2 in reverse at one point but fought back to the deciding set. Under the rhythmic applause of the audience, BOLL took a 9:0 lead, sealing the fate of the final. A short time later, the Düsseldorf players embraced each other, celebrating the 28th cup victory in the club's history and the first since 2021. In the previous two years, Düsseldorf had been runners-up in the final.

For BOLL, it was the 13th cup victory of his career.

"I performed well, and for the first time in a long while, I can truly be satisfied with my performance," BOLL said afterward. "In such a moment, you realize that all the hard work has paid off. Now I hope to maintain this level."

The history of finals between the two teams is rich, as they have faced each other repeatedly in recent years. The Düsseldorf vs. Saarbrücken duel took place three times in a row in the Liebherr TTBL final for the German Team Championship, and last season, they met in the Champions League final as well. The two rivals have more title chances this season in the Table Tennis Bundesliga and once again in the Champions League: In the TTBL, Düsseldorf leads as the table topper before Saarbrücken in the second half of the season; in the premier league, both teams are in the Final Four, scheduled for the Easter weekend at FCS.

"I am very happy – the title was, of course, our goal," said QIU. In 2020, he had already won the cup with Grünwettersbach, and now he followed with his first triumph in the Düsseldorf jersey. The 27-year-old had returned from the WTT Finals the day before, where he had eliminated two Chinese players and sensationally celebrated third place.

"The preparation was not ideal with the travel stress and the equipment change," said QIU, "but in the end, the main thing is that we won the cup."

Coach Danny HEISTER gave extra praise to the entire team:

"I am incredibly proud of the entire team," said the 52-year-old. "Now the first title is here, and we can take a breather. The pressure is always high in Düsseldorf, but that's part of it."

Final

1. FC Saarbrücken TT – Borussia Düsseldorf 0:3

Yuto Muramatsu – Dang Qiu 0:3 (7:11, 6:11, 5:11)

Patrick Franziska – Anton Källberg 0:3 (3:11, 8:11, 6:11)

Darko Jorgic – Timo Boll 2:3 (7:11, 12:10, 11:6, 10:12, 2:11)

Semifinals

Borussia Düsseldorf – ASV Grünwettersbach 3:1

Anton Källberg – Deni Kozul 3:1 (11:3, 5:11, 12:10, 12:10)

Dang Qiu – Tiago Apolonia 0:3 (8:11, 9:11, 9:11)

Timo Boll – Ricardo Walther 3:0 (17:15, 11:5, 11:4)

Anton Källberg – Tiago Apolonia 3:2 (11:9, 9:11, 11:4, 7:11, 11:5)

TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen – 1. FC Saarbrücken TT 2:3

Hugo Calderano – Darko Jorgic 2:3 (12:10, 4:11, 8:11, 11:6, 8:11)

Alvaro Robles – Yuto Muramatsu 3:1 (10:12, 11:8, 11:9, 11:7)

Simon Gauzy – Patrick Franziska 2:3 (8:11, 7:11, 12:10, 11:5, 8:11)

Hugo Calderano – Cedric Meissner 3:0 (11:7, 11:2, 11:4)

Alvaro Robles/Simon Gauzy – Cedric Meissner/Patrick Franziska 1:3 (3:11, 11:8, 5:11, 7:11)

 

Photo: BeLa Sportfoto