After 16 wins in a row, the Bundesliga table tennis player Sabine Winter's engine stutters.
The Hechendorferin retires from the title race with TSV Schwabhausen.
Hechendorf - Big disappointment for Sabine Winter: The table tennis national player from Hechendorf missed the play-off semi-finals for the German championship against the main round winner and reigning champion TTC Berlin eastside with TSV Schwabhausen.
Despite the 6-2 first leg success in the quarter-finals at ESV Weil, it was not enough for the Bundesliga club from the Dachau hinterland in their own hall against the promoted team.
After the 3: 5 defeat, a third game had to bring the decision just 24 hours later.
This game was also lost 3: 5.
“They were games at eye level,” concluded Winter.
“In the end, Weil was maybe just a little better on the nerves and had less to lose.
We were a bit of a favorite, ”said the 28-year-old.
"Our opponents played well and took their chances as ice."
Won 16 games in a row: Then Sabine Winter lost
This is no April joke: Ironically, the impressive winning streak of the Hechendorferin ended on April 1st.
Sabine Winter won 16 games in a row in the 1st Bundesliga.
Then, completely surprising, Weil's Polina Trifonova prevailed in the first quarter-final duel against the TSV top player in five hard-fought sets.
Winter had won the first two comparisons this season with 3-0 and only lost 30 points in the six sets.
But everything was different on Maundy Thursday.
“My opponent played better than in the first and second half of the season.
On the other hand, I'm unfortunately not in top form yet, ”said Schwabhausen's number one.
"However, I would still say that my performance was even a tad better than last weekend against Böblingen and Bingen."
Table tennis: A big lead is not enough for Sabine Winter
Winter had plenty of opportunities to take the 17th win in a row.
When the score was 1: 1, a 9: 7 lead was not enough to win the third round.
In the last round, the multiple double European champion left a 5: 1 lead.
In the subsequent extension of the final set, Winter initially fended off five match points, but then lost out at 13:15.
"Fortunately, this defeat didn't harm the team," said TSV coach Alexander Yahmed.
He had observed Polina Trifonova who played “outstandingly”, while Winter “had some problems in the service-return game”.
There was no sign of that in the second game against Ievgeniia Sozoniuk.
The Hechendorferin celebrated an effortless 3-0 victory in a hurry.
"Not only did I play better, but I was more active with my backhand," she said.
Bad luck in crucial moments: Winter and Schwabhausen fail
The national player did not get beyond a balanced record in the two games in Schwabhausen.
Again, Winter lost to Trifonova in the fifth round with a difference of two points, despite clear leadership.
This was followed by sovereign victories against Sozoniuk.
I can't blame myself, I didn't play tactically stupid or particularly bad.
Sabine Winter
In the first home game "I was disappointed with myself," said Sabine Winter.
Despite a significant increase in performance, it was not enough to win against Trifonova in the third duel with ESV.
"Unfortunately, there was also bad luck in the decisive phases," explained the 28-year-old.
Because number two came out some net and edge balls.
Winter: "I can't blame myself, I didn't play tactically stupid or particularly bad."
Sabine Winter's next goal: The European Table Tennis Championships in Warsaw in June
The 2020/21 Bundesliga season is a thing of the past for Sabine Winter.
When the next competitions are due is still completely open due to the corona pandemic.
The European Championships in Warsaw from June 22nd to 27th are on the international calendar.
"That would currently be the next event, but I have to be nominated for the EM first," said Winter.
Now she hopes that tournaments of the world association ITTF can take place beforehand.
"It is not easy for the head to just train for months without having to compete."
Marco Steinbrenner