Reigning champions 1. FC Saarbrücken TT will play for the HYLO ETTU Champions League Men title once again after defeating KS Orlen Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki 3-0 in front of a packed Saarlandhalle. Led by Olympic champion Zhendong FAN and backed by the passionate home crowd, the German club secured another place in the final and will now fight for the trophy on Sunday.
See the pictures here.
Reigning champions 1. FC Saarbrücken TT opened the HYLO ETTU Champions League Men Final 4 in dominant fashion, taking the lead against KS Orlen Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki in the opening semi-final.
Olympic champion and nine-time World champion Zhendong FAN showed his class from the very first point against Europe’s highest-ranked Polish player, Milosz REDZIMSKI. The Chinese superstar left no space for surprises and controlled the match throughout, securing a convincing straight-games victory.
“It is a tremendous thing that we have FAN with us. It relieves a lot of pressure from aiming for another title,” said IONESCU before the encounter.
Focused and determined, Patrick FRANZISKA played like a man on a mission against Marek BADOWSKI to give reigning champions a commanding 2-0 lead.
The European no. 8 controlled the encounter from the start, never allowing BADOWSKI to settle into rhythm. FRANZISKA dictated the pace with aggressive opening play and consistent pressure, closing the match in straight games.
“I played against him before in the Champions League and it was a very close match,” said FRANZISKA. “I knew that I had to put him under pressure early and push myself into the game immediately to prevent him from exploding into the match. I played very safely and tried to avoid easy mistakes.”
The third match brought drama and suspense to Saarlandhalle, as Europe’s no. 1 Truls MOREGARD needed all his patience and fighting spirit to overcome Panagiotis GIONIS and secure the place in the final for 1. FC Saarbrücken TT.
The 3,300 spectators were rewarded with a thrilling clash, as the experienced Greek defender, currently ranked no. 39 in Europe, once again demonstrated why his unique defensive style remains one of the most difficult challenges in world table tennis.
GIONIS earned the first game for the Polish side in the tie and constantly pushed MOREGARD to the limit. The third game turned into a dramatic battle point by point, with the Swedish star calling a timeout at 10-10 before eventually taking the game 14-12. GIONIS responded again in the fourth game to force a decider and immediately moved 3-0 ahead in the fifth before MOREGARD produced a strong comeback to close the match.
“It was so exhausting. It felt like I was 45 and Panagiotis 25,” joked MOREGARD afterwards. “He played so well and pushed me to the limits. In the last game my first three points were terrible, but then I raised my level to finish the match.”
At the end of the match, the Man of the Match award was presented by ETTU President Pedro Moura to Zhendong FAN.
“I am happy with my performance and happy that we reached the final, since this is my first ever Final 4,” said FAN. “I already received the Man of the Match award, and hopefully tomorrow I can lift the big trophy.”
- FC Saarbrücken TT – KS Orlen Bogoria Grodzisk Mazowiecki 3-0
- Zhendong FAN – Milosz REDZIMSKI 3-0 (11-6, 11-6, 11-4)
- Patrick FRANZISKA – Marek BADOWSKI 3-0 (11-8, 11-5, 11-7)
- Truls MOREGARD – Panagiotis GIONIS 3-2 (11-8, 3-11, 14-12, 10-12, 6-4)
Semi-finals – Saturday
- 16:00 Alliance Nîmes/Montpellier TT vs Borussia Düsseldorf
Final – Sunday at 14:00
