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Borussia Düsseldorf has secured the first spot in the Liebherr TTBL Final4. The record champions won the first semifinal on Saturday at the Süwag Energie ARENA, defeating TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt 3-2 after a four-hour battle, and will compete for the Tischtennis Bundesliga (TTBL) championship on Sunday. Their opponent in the final will be determined today at 5:40 p.m (CEST). in the match between SV Werder Bremen and 1. FC Saarbrücken TT.

As the winner of the regular season, Borussia Düsseldorf had the privilege of choosing its opponent for the semifinal, opting for TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt—and had to work extremely hard against its chosen opponent in the Liebherr TTBL Final4. With a 3-2 victory after a thriller lasting more than four hours, the record champions secured their spot in the final on Saturday, which will also take place in Frankfurt tomorrow, Sunday, starting at 1 p.m (CEST). Who Düsseldorf will face there will be decided in the second semifinal, which will be played at 5:40 p.m (CEST). between SV Werder Bremen and 1. FC Saarbrücken TT. The entire Liebherr TTBL Final4 will be broadcast live on Dyn.

The Düsseldorf team had Anton Källberg to thank for lifting the record champions into the doubles with two wins. After a 3-1 victory in the opening singles match against Romain Ruiz, the Swede followed it up with a masterpiece in the top singles match. Against Benedikt Duda, Källberg initially trailed 0-2 in sets, and at that point, it seemed almost certain that Bergneustadt would reach the final. But Källberg dug in, and spectacular rallies had the spectators leaping from their seats time and again. Källberg ultimately celebrated his 3-2 victory over Duda exuberantly, and the relief on the Düsseldorf bench seemed almost palpable.

“100 Percent”: Düsseldorf celebrates in the doubles

The two singles matches between Källberg’s appearances went to Bergneustadt. Duda tied the score at 1-1 with a 3-2 victory over his close friend Dang Qiu—the pair had won the German Doubles Championship six times in a row up until 2023—giving TTC its first glimmer of hope for a major upset. “‘Bene’ is playing the semifinal for his home club—that’s where all the passion came out,” Timo Boll noted afterward on the Dyn microphone. In the third match, Leo de Nodrest won 3-2 against Kanak Jha, giving Bergneustadt a temporary 2-1 lead.

Thus, after about three and a half hours, the doubles match had to decide who would advance to the final, and the atmosphere in the Süwag Energie ARENA was electric. After the top singles match, Källberg was asked whether Düsseldorf would win the showdown. “100 percent,” said the 28-year-old—and he was right. Although the first points and the first set went clearly to Bergneustadt’s Leo de Nodrest and Adrien Rassenfosse, 11-5, Dang Qiu and Li Yongyin then asserted their dominance and secured Düsseldorf’s spot in the final with their 3-1 victory.

“It was an insane match today,” Dang Qiu said, catching his breath afterward. “It felt like anything was possible. ‘Bene’ played incredibly well. We were actually already out of it.”

The Liebherr TTBL Final4 at a glance

Semifinals

Borussia Düsseldorf – TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt 3:2
Anton Källberg – Romain Ruiz 3:1 (10:12, 11:9, 11:7, 11:3)
Dang Qiu – Benedikt Duda 2:3 (12:10, 10:12, 11:9, 9:11, 9:11)
Kanak Jha – Leo de Nodrest 2:3 (11:2, 9:11, 11:9, 8:11, 5:11)
Anton Källberg – Benedikt Duda 3:2 (9:11, 6:11, 11:6, 11:7, 11:8)
Dang Qiu/Li Yongyin – Leo de Nodrest/Adrien Rassenfosse 3:1 (5:11, 11:4, 11:7, 11:6)

Saturday, May 30
5:40 p.m. (CEST): SV Werder Bremen – 1. FC Saarbrücken TT (live on Dyn)

Final

Sunday, May 31
1:00 p.m. (CEST): Borussia Düsseldorf – Winner of Semifinal 2 (live on Dyn)

Header image: Borussia Düsseldorf's Anton Källberg (by BeLa Sportfoto)