Just like last year, TSV Bad Königshofen and Borussia Düsseldorf faced off in the TTBL Play-off Semifinal. Back then, the underdogs from Unterfranken shocked the record champions with a win in the first leg. This time, however, the team from the Rhine was determined to prevent a repeat—and they succeeded. Led by a strong Dang Qiu, Düsseldorf claimed a 3–1 away victory and now holds a strong position heading into the second leg in two weeks.
Third Time’s a Charm
This was the third meeting between Borussia Düsseldorf and TSV Bad Königshofen in the 2024/25 TTBL season—and just like the previous two encounters, Düsseldorf came out on top with a 3–1 win. The same result now gives them the upper hand in the semifinal clash.
The standout performer was Dang Qiu, who played in the top position for Düsseldorf. He delivered two dominant performances—first against veteran Bastian Steger, and then in the top clash against Jin Ueda. In both matches, the penholder left no chance for his opponents, winning convincingly 3–0 and laying the foundation for the team’s success.
Timo Boll Overpowered by Filip Zeljko
While Qiu cruised to two easy wins, Timo Boll struggled in his only match of the evening. The 44-year-old, who will retire at the end of the season, was outplayed by Filip Zeljko. Known for his fighting spirit, Zeljko put in a superb performance and swept Boll 3–0, giving Bad Königshofen a brief glimmer of hope—only for Qiu to extinguish it shortly after.
The evening began with a match between Anton Källberg and Jin Ueda. At first, it looked like Bad Königshofen might pull off another surprise like last year, when they won the first leg 3–1. Ueda took the first set, but Källberg found his rhythm and took the match 3–1. “Of course, we remember what happened here last year,” said Källberg after the match. “We didn’t want to get into that position again. Taking the 1–0 lead was a great feeling.”
Ochsenhausen Also in Command
Alongside Düsseldorf, TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen also took a commanding lead in their semifinal. They swept 1. FC Saarbrücken TT 3–0 and are now in a great position to advance. The second leg for both semifinals will be played on April 27. It’s possible the finalists for June 15 will already be decided by then—with Düsseldorf and Ochsenhausen currently holding the best cards.
Play-Off Results – First Leg
TSV Bad Königshofen – Borussia Düsseldorf 1:3Jin Ueda - Anton Källberg 1:3 (11:8, 3:11, 13:15, 7:11)Bastian Steger - Dang Qiu 0:3 (4:11, 6:11, 9:11)Filip Zeljko - Timo Boll 3:0 (11:5, 11:9, 11:7)Jin Ueda - Dang Qiu 0:3 (6:11, 6:11, 9:11)
TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen – 1. FC Saarbrücken TT 3:0Hugo Calderano - Yuto Muramatsu 3:0 (11:8, 11:4, 11:8)Shunsuke Togami - Darko Jorgic 3:1 (8:11, 11:6, 11:7, 11:9)Simon Gauzy - Patrick Franziska 3:1 (7:11, 11:6, 11:9, 11:9)
Upcoming Matches – Play-OffsGame 2Sunday, April 27, 1:00 PM: Borussia Düsseldorf – TSV Bad KönigshofenSunday, April 27, 4:00 PM: 1. FC Saarbrücken TT – TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen
Game 3 (if needed)Wednesday, April 30, 7:00 PM: TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen – 1. FC Saarbrücken TTThursday, May 1, 3:00 PM: Borussia Düsseldorf – TSV Bad Königshofen
Source: Table Tennis Bundesliga (TTBL), Photo by Jörg Fuhrmann