Pokal

Co-favorite Borussia Düsseldorf and former cup champion TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen will face off in one of the top matches of the round of 16 at the Leapmotor Cup Grand Opening in Nuremberg. In this interview, Düsseldorf’s former European champion Dang Qiu and TTF rising star Iulian Chirita discuss their opening match, expectations, and the appeal of the cup competition.

Dang Qiu, with Borussia Düsseldorf, you’ll be facing TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen in a blockbuster round of 16 match at the Leapmotor Cup Grand Opening in Nuremberg. Could you have hoped for an easier draw?

Dang Qiu: Ochsenhausen is, of course, an absolute blockbuster and a tough match to start with. Two of the biggest names in the Table Tennis Bundesliga are facing off right in the first round of the cup. But that’s how it goes, and that’s how it is this time. It never does any good to complain about the draw. You always know more in hindsight. We simply have to accept the challenge that lies ahead of us now and prepare for it as best we can. Then I’m confident that we’ll come out on top.

Iulian Chirita, given this truly tough draw, could playing the role of the presumed underdog actually have some advantages for Ochsenhausen?

Iulian Chirita: It can definitely have some advantages. There’s less pressure on us, and we can play more freely. We know that Düsseldorf is the favorite, but we also know that anything can happen in a single match.

Düsseldorf has bolstered its roster this season with superstar Fan Zhendong. Does that mean the title is practically already secured for your team?

Dang Qiu: No, nothing is ever certain in sports—not even with a Fan Zhendong. He’s obviously a huge asset for us, but that alone doesn’t guarantee us the title. Sure, on paper we’re the favorites—maybe slight favorites—but every match has to be played. You see time and again how quickly things can turn around. That’s why every match is important; everyone on the team has to be in absolute top form to win the title. That will be the case this season as well.

For you, Iulian Chirita, the match could also mean a direct showdown with superstar Fan Zhendong, who lost only one set across three matches at the last Liebherr Cup Final4. Would you see such a match as an opportunity, or would you be more apprehensive about it?

Iulian Chirita: Of course, I’d see it as a great opportunity. Playing against a player like Fan Zhendong is exactly the kind of match you hope for as a pro. There’s nothing to fear—I’d just try to enjoy the moment, give it my all, and see what happens.

Over the past two years, your club, Borussia, Dang Qiu, has come up empty-handed in the hunt for titles. Club ambassador Timo Boll recently said that it’s time for Düsseldorf to shine again and win titles. How much pressure is there really to perform?

Dang Qiu: The pressure of expectations—or rather, the expectations themselves—is, of course, always there at a club like Borussia Düsseldorf—regardless of Fan Zhendong’s move to our team. Every year, every season, you play with the expectation of reaching as many finals as possible and, hopefully, winning titles. Of course, there’s also a certain amount of extra pressure now because of the past two years. However, it’s also important to note that the other TTBL teams strengthen their rosters every year with extremely talented players; some teams even have multiple top-5 players, and for this season as well, Saarbrücken has pulled off another incredible signing with Hugo Calderano—he’s simply a top-tier player who can pose a very, very serious threat to us at any time.

Iulian Chirita, in Ochsenhausen’s semifinal match at last season’s cup finals, you made your debut at the Liebherr Cup Final4. Did you feel that special “fascination of the cup” when playing against the eventual champion, 1. FC Saarbrücken-TT?

Iulian Chirita: Yes, definitely. The atmosphere was something special, and you could really feel how important the competition is. Playing against Saarbrücken in the semifinals was a great experience for me, especially since it was my first time there.

In the past two editions of the Liebherr Cup Final4, Düsseldorf was merely a spectator. Do your thoughts still drift back to those two cup disappointments ahead of the match in Nuremberg?

Dang Qiu: Of course, the cup disappointments from the past two years are still fresh in our minds. Those were, of course, things we definitely wanted to avoid, but just as sports have a way of writing their own stories, the best teams don’t always come out on top as a matter of course. In recent years, we’ve always faced tough first-round matches—difficult challenges that we unfortunately fell just short of overcoming. Of course, we’re heading into this season with full enthusiasm and hope to make a strong comeback in this competition and win the title again. But this year, too, the Cup starts with the round of 16.

Does the new Grand Opening format—with the round of 16 and quarterfinals taking place over a single weekend in Ochsenhausen—change how you prepare for the cup?

Iulian Chirita: Yes, I think the new format changes our preparation a bit. With potentially two important matches in a single weekend, you have to be physically and mentally ready from the very first point. Recovery and good energy management will also be very important.

Dang Qiu, you’ve already won the cup twice—in 2020 with ASC Grünwettersbach and in 2024 playing for Düsseldorf. How do those two victories differ?

Dang Qiu: Those were two wonderful moments that I remember very fondly. Especially the victory with Grünwettersbach—that was my first team title. We definitely went into the tournament as absolute underdogs and then, completely out of the blue, won both matches with an absolutely fantastic team performance. That showed, too, that underdogs can win. But of course, it was just as wonderful with Borussia: We won the final against Saarbrücken very convincingly, 3–0—that was also a wonderful moment because everything went very well that weekend. I’d be thrilled if we could repeat both of those moments this year.

How might the outcome of the cup weekend affect Ochsenhausen for the rest of the season?

Iulian Chirita: I think the cup weekend can have a major impact on the rest of the season. A strong showing can give the entire team confidence and positive momentum. We want to compete for every title, so we hope we can use this weekend to build momentum for the rest of the season.

Dang Qiu and Iulian Chirita, thank you very much for the interview.

Florian Manzke