Somewhat against the odds, Borussia Düsseldorf clinched the European
Champions League Men’s title on Sunday 17th May 2009 to win the
prestigious crown for the second time in the 16 year history of the
club competition; the previous success being in 2000.
They beat TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen by three matches to nil.
The
trio of Timo Boll, Dimitrij Ovtcharov and Christian Süss, the three
players who combined to clinch the silver medal in the Men’s Team event
for Germany, at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, did not start as
favourites.
Defeat on Home Soil
A
team of such high pedigree not starting as favourites may seem an
anomaly but in the first fixture of the two leg final, on home soil,
they had lost a close encounter against Liebherr Ochsenhausen.
On
Sunday 10th May, Chuang Chih-Yuan had been the Ochsenhausen hero; he
had remained unbeaten in the contest, overcoming both Dimitrij
Ovtcharov and Timo Boll, the top two German players.
The one further win had come from the racket of Adrian Crisan against Dimitrij Ovtcharov with the scores level at two matches.
Boll and Süss Won
Meanwhile,
for Düssdeldorf, Christian Süss in the third match of the duel, had
beaten Portugal’s rapidly improving Tiago Apolonia, a player who
impressed at the recent H.I.S. World Championships in Yokohama, and
Timo Boll had opened proceedings with victory over Adrian Crisan.
Winning
away in front of 1,400 spectators, most supporting Dusseldorf was a
massive boost; repeating the feat on home soil was the task in hand.
Spoiled Party
Alas for Ochsenhausen it was not to be; in front of 2,200 spectators, the visitors spoiled the party.
Boll
and Süss repeated the wins recorded on home soil, Ovtcharov gained
revenge and in so doing set Dusseldorf on the road to victory.
Repeat and Revenge
In
the opening match of the duel Ovtcharov beat Chuang Chih-Yuan in four
games with Boll overcoming Crisan once again and Suss concluding
matters with victory over Apolonia.
The result of one week
earlier was overturned and overturned emphatically, Borussia Dusseldorf
had regained the crown; they were the 2009 European League Men’s Club
champions.
First Final
Sunday 10th May 2009
Borussia Düsseldorf 2-3 TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen
Timo
Boll v Adrian Crisan 11-4, 8-11, 11:4, 11-8; Dimitrij Ovtcharov v
Chuang Chih-Yuan 5-11, 11-8, 16-18, 11-9, 4-1l; Christian Süss v Tiago
Apolonia 6-11, 10-12, 11-9; 11-8, 11-5; Timo Boll v Chuang Chih-Yuan
17-19, 9-11;11-7, 7-11 Dimitrij Ovtcharov v Adrian Crisan 11-3,
8-11,12-14, 2-11
Second Final
Sunday 17th May 2009
TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen 0-3 Borussia Düsseldorf
Chuang
Chih-Yuan v Dimitrij Ovtcharov 13-15, 7-11, 11-9, 5-11; Adrian Crisan v
Timo Boll 11-8, 7-11, 3-11, 8-11; Tiago Apolonia v Christian Süss 11-9,
5-11, 9-11, 7-11
Source: www.ittf.com
