Borussia Düsseldorf Reaches TTBL Final After Dramatic Semifinal Win

Bergneustadt had taken a 2-1 lead in the tie before Källberg's comeback leveled the score. Duda, who finished the regular season with the best main-round record of 25 wins and 8 losses, could not close out the match.

The semifinal was a rematch of a tight regular-season encounter. On matchday 12, Bergneustadt had led 2-0 against Düsseldorf before losing 2-3.

Düsseldorf's coach Danny Heister had anticipated a difficult contest. 'Das Final Four ist super wichtig für uns. Saarbrücken ist sehr stark. Und vorher Bergneustadt ist gefährlich. Sie waren in der Hauptrunde nah dran am Sieg,' he said before the match.

Preparation and Logistics

Heister also explained the team's logistical choice for the event. Normally traveling by train, the squad opted for a bus to Frankfurt. 'Zwischen Halle und Hotel liegen immer 15 Minuten Weg und das können wir nicht zu Training und Spielen immer laufen,' he said.

Both Borussia Düsseldorf and TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt traveled to Frankfurt on Thursday to prepare for the weekend tournament.

The second semifinal, played later on Saturday, saw 1. FC Saarbrücken defeat Werder Bremen 3-1. Fan Zhendong won two matches for Saarbrücken.

The Final Awaits

The final is scheduled for Sunday at 13:00 and will be broadcast on Dyn. For Fan Zhendong, it will be his last match for Saarbrücken before he transfers to Borussia Düsseldorf next season.

Düsseldorf is pursuing its 35th German championship title. The club has won the championship 34 times and secured the title nine times in the past twelve years.

Last season, Borussia Düsseldorf lost the final to TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen in what was Timo Boll's farewell match. A victory on Sunday would prevent a second consecutive season without a title.

Saarbrücken enters the final aiming to complete a historic triple. The club has already won the Champions League and the German Cup this season, defeating Düsseldorf in both competitions.

A New Era for the Bundesliga

The 2024/25 TTBL Final Four is the first edition of this tournament format. In previous years, the finalists were determined through two playoff series in a best-of-three format.

This is also the first time in the 60-year history of the Bundesliga that the championship final round is held as a two-day tournament.

Approximately 4,000 fans are expected at the event, with some remaining tickets still available. Heister praised the format: 'Ich bin immer ein Fan von diesen Eventformaten, es ist für die Zuschauer ein tolles Wochenende.'

Voices from the Semifinal

Frederik Duda, brother of top player Benedikt Duda, also welcomed the Final Four concept. 'Super, sonst hätte man donnerstags oder so schauen müssen, ob man überhaupt die eigene Halle voll bekommt,' he said.

Frederik Duda acknowledged his team's underdog status but expressed confidence. 'Natürlich sind wir etwas in der Außenseiterrolle, aber wir haben in der Saison gezeigt, dass wir zurecht hier stehen. Jetzt fahren wir auch dahin, um zu gewinnen und nicht nur ein schönes Spiel zu liefern,' he said.

He also reflected on the team's unexpected journey to the Final Four. 'Am Anfang der Saison hat nur das Team daran geglaubt, dass wir hier hin kommen können. Es wurde sogar gesagt, wir müssten um den Klassenerhalt bangen.'

Road to the Final Four

As regular-season winner, Düsseldorf was allowed to choose its semi-final opponent from the third- and fourth-placed teams. Heister explained the decision to pick Bergneustadt over Saarbrücken: 'Wir denken, Bergneustadt liegt uns besser.'

Düsseldorf's top lineup for the tournament consists of Dang Qiu, Anton Källberg, and Kanak Jha. Qiu is a German national team player, Källberg is Swedish, and Jha is American.