In a thrilling encounter in the round of 16 of the German Table Tennis Cup, ASC Grünwettersbach emerged victorious over TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau with a 3:1 win. Despite facing a demanding schedule, having played just a day earlier, Grünwettersbach showed remarkable resilience and skill to advance to the quarter-finals.
The match started poorly for Grenzau, who had hoped to surprise Grünwettersbach with Luka Mladenovic’s anti-top rubber against French player Leo de Nodrest. However, de Nodrest was unfazed by Mladenovic’s tactics. He countered effectively and secured a decisive 3:0 victory, putting Grünwettersbach in the lead with scores of 4:11, 7:11, and 9:11.
The second match saw an intense five-set battle between Grenzau’s Maciej Kubik and Ricardo Walther of Grünwettersbach. Kubik initially led 2:1, but Walther, showcasing his experience, leveled the match and eventually won the fifth set 11:4, giving Grünwettersbach a 2:0 lead.
In the third match, Taiwanese talent Yi-Hsin Feng faced Portuguese veteran Tiago Apolonia. Feng’s aggressive play and Apolonia’s errors led to a straightforward 3:0 win for Feng, with scores of 11:8, 12:10, and 11:7, bringing Grenzau back into contention.
For the fourth match, Grenzau substituted Luka Mladenovic with Samuel Walker in an attempt to turn the tide. However, Walther continued his dominant performance, winning 11:5, 11:7, and 11:4, sealing the overall victory for Grünwettersbach with a final score of 3:1.
This victory marks Grünwettersbach’s sixth consecutive appearance in the quarter-finals of the German Table Tennis Cup, demonstrating their consistent high performance. For Grenzau, the focus now shifts to the German Table Tennis League (TTBL) as they regroup for future challenges.
TTC Zugbrücke Grenzau – ASC Grünwettersbach 1:3
Luka Mladenovic - Leo de Nodrest 0:3 (4:11, 7:11, 9:11)
Maciej Kubik - Ricardo Walther 2:3 (12:10, 9:11, 11:8, 5:11, 4:11)
Yi-Hsin Feng - Tiago Apolonia 3:0 (11:8, 12:10, 11:7)
Samuel Walker - Ricardo Walther 0:3 (5:11, 6:11, 7:11)
Source: TTBL