Saarbrücken make statement with win against Dortmund
1. FC Saarbrücken-TT have made an impression in the Tischtennis-Bundesliga (TTBL) and preserved their chances of reaching the playoffs. On the 19th day of play, the Saarland team defeated Borussia Dortmund 3:1 in their home venue to emphasise their ambitions in the fight for the top. Darko Jorgic was the match winner with two confident victories, whilst Eduard Ionescu gained a crucial point thanks to a comeback showing his strength of nerve.
Right from the start, Saarbrücken’s number one Darko Jorgic showed why he is one of Europe’s top tennis players. The Slovenian national player left no doubt against Erik Bottroff and dominated the match from the very first minute. His safe 3:0 win (11:3, 11:6, 11:9) gave Saarbrücken an early lead and thus laid a vital foundation for a successful evening.
The second singles match of the evening saw Patrick Franziska face Cedric Nuytinck. Initially, everything was going to plan for the Saarbrücken player: he took the first two sets 11:9 and 11:8 and seemed to have the match in the bag. However, the Belgian then adjusted his tactics, exploited small errors by his opponent and turned the momentum around in his favour. In an impressive comeback, Nuytinck took the next three sets 11:8, 11:7 and 11:7 to equalise to 1:1 overall.
Nuytinck seemed relieved after the match:
At the start, I missed small opportunities against Patrick and played too casually. At 0:2, I adjusted a few small things and things went better and better for me.
The third encounter between Eduard Ionescu and Yongyin Li became a real thriller. The Dortmund player began in focused form and narrowly secured the first two sets 11:9 and 11:8. However, the young Saarbrücken player showed huge morale and fought his way back into the match. Ionescu dominated play with 11:3 and 11:5 in the next two sets, forcing the match into a deciding fifth set. This saw an open exchange of blows between the pair, but the Saarbrücken player ultimately held his nerve to win 12:10. To the crowd’s delight, he put his team 2:1 in the lead and laid the foundations for their subsequent victory.
The fourth and final singles match of the day was another duel between Darko Jorgic and Cedric Nuytinck. The Belgian had already shone in his comeback against Franziska and was now looking to up the ante. He got off to a good start and took the first set 16:14. However, Jorgic was unfazed and responded with a decisive 11:2. Things then went back and forth: Nuytinck secured the third set 11:7, but Jorgic then found top form. With a dominant 11:1, he propelled his opponent into a deciding fifth set, which he secured 11:6 to gain the win.
This ensured a 3:1 overall victory Saarbrücken and highlighted once again why he is considered his team’s top performer.
This vital home win keeps 1. FC Saarbrücken-TT in the running for the playoffs. Whilst Borussia Dortmund have slipped down to ninth place and now urgently need points to stay within sight of the middle of the table, the Saarland team can head into their upcoming matches with confidence.
The next key match will be on Friday (7 March 2025): Saarbrücken will be seeking to carry this momentum forward into their home game against TTC OE Bad Homburg 1987 and take another step towards the playoffs. In the meantime, Dortmund face Werder Bremen, who have recently attracted attention with two 3:0 victories.
The win against Dortmund was not just a statement – it also demonstrated that Saarbrücken still have a few tricks up their sleeve this season. The fans can look forward to an exciting final phase of the TTBL.