Erfurt, Germany – After a three-year gap, Benedikt Duda has reclaimed the German Championship title. The 2021 champion secured his second national title by defeating Steffen Mengel 4-1 in the men’s singles final at the TT Finals.
The highly anticipated final delivered everything one could expect from such a major event. Enthusiastic fans, thrilling matches, and an intense showdown in the final match marked the occasion. Both Benedikt Duda and Steffen Mengel are no strangers to the German Championship. Duda won his first title in 2021, while Mengel, the 35-year-old veteran, last claimed the title in 2013 in Bamberg. This final held special significance for Mengel, not only because it was his chance to compete for the national crown again, but also because he played in front of a supportive home crowd. Mengel, who has represented Post SV Mühlhausen for the past six years, had a large fanbase cheering him on throughout the tournament. His impressive run saw him defeat Tom Schweiger, Tobias Hippler, and Kay Stumper to reach the final. However, he couldn’t overcome Duda, as the final score was 4-1 in favor of the player from Bergneustadt.
Of course, I would have liked to walk away as the winner," Mengel said after the match. "But Duda was just a little bit better today.
Reflecting on the game, Duda said,
The first three sets were especially hard-fought. Steffen kept coming back; he has an incredibly high ceiling." Duda pointed to the pivotal third set as the turning point in the match. "After that, I felt like the game shifted in my favor," he explained.
For Duda, this victory holds even greater significance than his first title.
This one means more to me because I wasn’t in top form, and the mental pressure was quite high," the TTBL pro shared.
After his hard-earned win, Duda will take a well-deserved vacation to Mallorca. However, his break will be short-lived, as he will soon start preparing for the Olympics in Paris. Duda will be working with the German Olympic team, which includes table tennis legends Timo Boll, Dimitrij Ovtcharov, and Dang Qiu. "I’ll do my best to make sure they’re in top form for Paris," Duda said with determination.
Men's Singles Final:
Benedikt Duda – Steffen Mengel 4:1 (9, -9, 9, 5, 6)
Source: DDTB