Dachau, May 29, 2026 – Titelfavorit TTC Berlin Eastside has won the first leg of the 2026 German Championship final on Friday evening in Dachau with a score of 6:3, establishing a favorable starting position for the return match on Sunday in Berlin (13:00, “Heyse25”). However, the decision is far from made.
Berlin Takes the Lead, Dachau Fights Back
The capital city team would only need a draw on home turf to secure their eleventh championship title since 2014, while Dachau must win to force a Golden Match. Despite an unfavorable start, quickly falling behind 0:4, the Upper Bavarians, playing in the sold-out Augustenfeld Sports Hall, rallied impressively with three consecutive victories.
The match, broadcast live in high quality by Bavarian Radio with support from the Berlin TV team around Dietmar Ripplinger, was high-class and exciting, especially after the hosts had “tasted blood” and fought their way back into contention. However, Winter and her teammates, despite then being on par, were unable to secure a draw, which was entirely possible given their equal performance in the singles matches. It is simply not permissible to lose both doubles matches against a team of TTC Eastside’s caliber.
Mittelham Shines for Berlin
For the capital club, Nina Mittelham excelled just days after her wedding, contributing three points by winning both her singles matches (3:2 against Sabine Winter after saving a match point, 3:1 against Seoyoung Byun) and her doubles match alongside Sabina Surjan (3:1 against Sabine Winter/Dora Cosic). The remaining points for the guests came from Yuka Kaneyoshi, who decisively defeated Byun in a defensive duel, and Natalia Bajor, who ultimately won her singles match against 16-year-old Koharu Itagaki in four sets.
Dachau’s points were scored by Sabine Winter (3:1 against Kaneyoshi), Koharu Itagaki (3:0 against Josi Neumann), and Dora Cosic (3:1 against Bajor). The performances of the defensive player Seoyoung Byun, who had been so strong in the league and semi-finals, were somewhat disappointing; this time, she was unable to make an impact and had to congratulate both Kaneyoshi and Mittelham. She also came up empty-handed in the doubles with her preferred partner Itagaki (0:3 against Kaneyoshi/Mia Griesel).
A Thrilling Encounter
The fans experienced a spectacular, hard-fought four-hour match in summer temperatures, which left little to be desired in terms of sporting quality. It was a worthy first final for the title, contested by the two undoubtedly best teams of the 2026/27 season. Despite the home team’s defeat, the numerous fans did not regret their attendance. If both teams can maintain this high level on Sunday in Berlin, spectators can look forward to another top-class season highlight.
“Ultimately, it was a hard-fought victory that demanded everything from us,” said a relieved Andreas Hain after the nerve-wracking match. “Nina Mittelham was outstanding for us, winning against the world number nine and also showing a concentrated performance against Byun.” The manager of TTC Berlin Eastside added: “Our doubles played well, but we still need to improve in the lower half of the lineup. The return match on Sunday will not be easy, and we are warned. Dachau also turned the match around in Langstadt, and we want to avoid that at home.”
Live Broadcast and Tickets for the Return Match
Everyone can stay “up to date” for the return match, even if they cannot make it to Berlin. There will again be a high-quality live stream, available free of charge in the BR24Sport Livecenter in the ARD Mediathek, as well as in the BR24 App or on Smart-TV via HbbTV of BR Fernsehen. There, the play-off final can be accessed directly via the yellow button on the remote control. The live stream will, of course, again be produced with the support of TTC Berlin Eastside and its TV team.
Tickets for the return match in Berlin are still available in the TTC Berlin Eastside ticket shop (normal price 10 Euros, reduced: 8 Euros).
Links:
- To the live stream of the return match in the ARD Mediathek (broadcast starts: 12:55)
- Play-offs for the German Women’s Team Championship: fixtures and results on myTischtennis.de (click-TT)
- To the DTTB Live Ticker
Sunday, May 31, 13:00
- Final Return Match: ttc berlin eastside – TSV Dachau
Further Information:
- 1. Bundesliga Women on click-TT: schedule, info and table
- The Play-offs on myTischtennis.de
- Website of the 1. Bundesliga Women (articles and reports with additional image material)
Source: https://www.tischtennis.de/news/berlin-legt-vor-und-gewinnt-final-hinspiel-in-dachau-mit-63.html
