In a tense and thrilling round of 16 matchup at the German Table Tennis Cup, 1. FC Saarbrücken TT edged out Borussia Dortmund with a narrow 3:2 victory. Darko Jorgic, in stellar form, led the Saarland team to the quarter-finals, though the path was anything but straightforward.
Jorgic Dominates the Opener
The first match saw Darko Jorgic, ranked 15th in the world, take on Simon Berglund. Jorgic, demonstrating his class from the start, breezed past the Swede in straight sets with a dominant 3:0 win (11:5, 11:5, 11:5), giving Saarbrücken an early lead.
Franziska and Muramatsu Fall in Five-Set Thrillers
In the second singles, Patrick Franziska faced Yongyin Li, a new addition to Borussia Dortmund this season from 1. FSV Mainz. Franziska started strong, winning the first two sets 11:9 and 15:13. However, Li found his rhythm, putting Franziska under intense pressure. The turning point came in the third set, where Li secured a commanding 11:4 win. From there, the Chinese player capitalized on his momentum, taking the next two sets 11:6 and 11:8, leveling the match for Dortmund.
The third singles was another nerve-wracking affair, with Yuto Muramatsu going up against Cedric Nuytinck. Nuytinck took a 2:1 lead before Muramatsu rallied to force a fifth set. Despite Muramatsu’s valiant effort, Nuytinck held his nerve to claim the decisive set 11:7, giving Dortmund the advantage at 2:1.
Jorgic Keeps Saarbrücken Alive
Once again, it was Darko Jorgic who stepped up for Saarbrücken, this time facing Yongyin Li, fresh off his victory over Franziska. Jorgic won the first set comfortably but dropped the second in a close 9:11. Unfazed, Jorgic found his rhythm again, winning the next two sets 11:5, 11:9 to even the match at 2:2 and send the tie to a deciding doubles match.
Franziska and Meissner Pull Off a Stunning Comeback
The final doubles saw Patrick Franziska and Cedric Meissner face off against Dortmund’s Cedric Nuytinck and Dennis Klein. The Saarbrücken duo started well, winning the first set 11:5, only to lose the second by the same margin. The match evolved into a thrilling back-and-forth battle, with Franziska and Meissner narrowly winning the third set 14:12, before Dortmund leveled again with a 12:10 fourth set.
In the final set, it looked as though Dortmund would pull off a surprise victory, as Nuytinck and Klein took a commanding 6:2 lead. However, Franziska and Meissner staged an incredible comeback, clawing their way back point by point to win the set 11:8, securing Saarbrücken’s spot in the quarter-finals.
Post-Match Reactions
Darko Jorgic, the hero of the day for 1. FC Saarbrücken TT, was visibly relieved after the match: “It was a long and tough game. We knew Anders Lind wouldn’t play for Dortmund today, but their team still put up a strong fight. We were only a few points away from losing, but we stayed united and fought back to win. I’m really happy with our performance.”
Upcoming Matches
The remaining two round of 16 ties in the German Table Tennis Cup promise to be thrilling encounters. On Friday evening (September 20 at 7:30 p.m.), TTV Lampertheim will host TTC OE Bad Homburg, with the hosts hoping for an upset against the favored first-division team. On Saturday (September 21 at 7:00 p.m.), TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell will take on defending champions Borussia Düsseldorf.
Match Overview:
1. FC Saarbrücken TT 3:2 Borussia Dortmund
Darko Jorgic def. Simon Berglund 3:0 (11:5, 11:5, 11:5)
Yongyin Li def. Patrick Franziska 3:2 (9:11, 13:15, 11:4, 11:6, 11:8)
Cedric Nuytinck def. Yuto Muramatsu 3:2 (9:11, 11:5, 11:9, 7:11, 11:7)
Darko Jorgic def. Yongyin Li 3:1 (11:5, 9:11, 11:5, 11:9)
Patrick Franziska/Cedric Meissner def. Cedric Nuytinck/Dennis Klein 3:2 (11:5, 5:11, 14:12, 10:12, 11:8)
Saarbrücken, with Darko Jorgic in commanding form, now look ahead to their quarter-final match, where they hope to continue their journey in the German Table Tennis Cup.
Source: Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL)