The TTF Ochsenhausen delivered a thrilling semi-final to 1. FC Saarbrücken. In the end, the Saarlanders won with superstar Fan Zhendong.
The TTF Ochsenhausen delivered a thrilling semi-final to 1. FC Saarbrücken. In the end, the Saarlanders won with superstar Fan Zhendong.
The Champions League winners 1. FC Saarbrücken have won the German table tennis cup for the third time. The star team with the Chinese Olympic champion Fan Zhendong and the German national player Patrick Franziska defeated the TTC Rhönsprudel Fulda-Maberzell 3-1 in the final in Neu-Ulm.
It is the first title in Germany for the two-time individual world champion Fan Zhendong. The 28-year-old won the top game in the final against Fulda’s former world number one Dimitrij Ovtcharov (3-0). Fan Zhendong also got the decisive third point for Saarbrücken when he defeated Ruwen Filus in 3-0 sets.
Among the 5,200 visitors in the sold-out Ratiopharm Arena there were once again numerous Chinese fans who wanted to see their idol at this Final Four tournament. The surprising signing of Fan Zhendong before this season triggered a boom in spectators at Saarbrücken’s games.
Franziska’s thrilling 2:3 defeat against Filus made the final even more exciting. The Slovenian Darko Jorgic put the FCS back in the lead 2-1 against Fanbo Meng (3-0).
Ochenhausen narrowly loses in the semi-finals
In the semi-finals in the morning, the FCS defeated the German champions and defending champions TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen 3-1 in revenge for last year’s final. Fulda won the Hessian duel with TTC OE Clarity Telefonie-Systeme Bad Homburg after the deciding double with 3:2.
