The German men’s doubles pair of Dang Qiu and Benedikt Duda concluded their run at the WTT Contender event in Ontario, California, following a semifinal defeat. The duo fell in straight sets to the Chinese pair Lin Shidong and Huang Youzheng, ending their pursuit of a title at the tournament held between June 26 and July 5.
Results of the Semifinal Match
Dang Qiu and Benedikt Duda were defeated by Lin Shidong and Huang Youzheng with set scores of 7-11, 8-11, and 6-11. This loss prevented the German team from advancing to the final round. The Chinese opponents demonstrated consistent control throughout the match, denying the German pair the momentum they had established in earlier rounds.
Prior to the semifinal, the German duo had secured significant victories. According to the German Table Tennis Federation (DTTB), Qiu and Duda defeated the former world championship bronze medalists Patrick Franziska and Dimitrij Ovtcharov in an all-German matchup. They followed that performance with a 3-0 victory over South Korea’s Lim Jonghoon and Oh Junsung to reach the final four.
Performance Context and World Ranking
This tournament result adds to a series of high-level appearances for the German pair. Qiu and Duda previously achieved a third-place finish at the 2022 Singapore Smash, a top-tier event in the World Table Tennis (WTT) structure.
The pair currently holds the 10th position in the world rankings for men’s doubles. Their performance in Ontario contributes points toward their standing, though they were unable to replicate the success they found at the Star Contender tournaments in Qatar (2022) and Brazil (2025). During the first Grand Smash of the year in Singapore, the pair narrowly lost in the quarterfinals with a 2-3 scoreline against the world number one-ranked team.
DTTB Squad Overview
The German delegation at the United States Smash included several prominent players across different categories. The main field participants, who competed from June 28 through July 5, were:
- Men: Dang Qiu (Borussia Düsseldorf), Benedikt Duda (TTC Schwalbe Bergneustadt), Patrick Franziska (1. FC Saarbrücken-TT), and Dimitrij Ovtcharov (TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell).
- Women: Sabine Winter (TSV Dachau), Ying Han (KTS Tarnobrzeg), and Nina Mittelham (ttc berlin eastside).
Additional players, including Ricardo Walther and Andre Bertelsmeier, participated in the qualification rounds held on June 26 and 27. The coaching staff for the event included DTTB head coach Lars Hielscher, women’s national coach Tamara Boros, men’s national coach Jörg Roßkopf, and assistant women’s coach Zoltán Bátorfi.
Looking Ahead
While the doubles campaign ended in the semifinals, the tournament serves as a data point for the DTTB ahead of upcoming international fixtures. The ability of Qiu and Duda to overcome top-tier international pairs like the South Korean duo suggests that the pair remains a competitive force in the upper echelons of the sport. Future rankings will reflect the points earned during this California event as the players prepare for the remainder of the 2025 season.
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