Silver medals for Will Bayley in men’s class 7 and Fliss Pickard (pictured above) in women’s class 6 were the highlights for the British Para table tennis team at the ITTF World Para Challenger Lasko in Slovenia.
There were also bronze medals for Rob Davies (men’s class 1), Tom Matthews (men’s class 1) and 18-year-old Lowri Hurd (women’s class 9).
With most of the world’s leading players competing here, including a large team from China, this was the strongest tournament since the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris and in addition to the medallists there were some promising performances from other British players ahead of the World Championships in November.
Men’s class 7
Will Bayley recovered from 8-2 and 10-7 down to edge a tight first set against Pavao Jozic 14-12 before going on to beat the former European silver medallist from Croatia 3-0. He progressed to the knockout stages as group winner with a 3-0 win against Hwang Inchun from Korea Republic and then came through a tricky match in the round of 16 against world No 11 Bjoern Schnake, the former European bronze medallist from Germany 3-1.
A 3-0 win against the 24-year-old Irishman Patrick Vaughan took him through to the semi-finals to face China’s Yan Shuo for the first time since their dramatic Paralympic final in Paris two years ago that Yan won after a tense deciding set. Bayley started strongly and after winning the first two sets he won a brilliant rally to lead 6-3 in the third. But a timeout for Yan halted Bayley’s momentum and the Chinese former world No 1 took the set 11-9. At 6-3 to Yan in the fourth it looked to be heading for a decider, but Bayley had other ideas and fought back to take it 11-9 and the match 3-1.
He was not able to find the same level in the final against the in-form Krizander Magnussen and having started slowly although he fought back from 7-1 down in the second set to take it 11-8 and level at 1-1 it was not enough to prevent the European Paralympic Youth Games champion from Norway, gold medallist in Montenegro last week, from taking the match 3-1.
“The win against Yan meant a lot,” said Bayley. “I haven’t beaten him before and I only seem to play him in the Paralympics, so it was nice to get the chance to play him again. It was a good match and we both played quite well but it was a really difficult match mentally just trying to get over the line against him because he’s such a good player. I was really relieved to do that, and it was great to win that match.
“The final was hard because I had just won a big match and to come back and have to do it again, I wasn’t quite as up for it as I should have been. I had a slow start and found it difficult to get going really from there. I’ve just got to think about what I need to work on and how I can improve and I’m sure I’ll do it – these results just happen sometimes. It’s a solid start to the season and I’m happy overall but I need to improve for next week.”
Theo Bishop had a tough first match against world No 2 Paulo Fonseca and although he fought back from 2-0 down to take the third set 11-8 the Para Pan American champion from Brazil took the fourth to complete a 3-1 win. Bishop showed all his character and determination to come back from 2-0 down against Henrik Meyer from Germany. Having edged a tight fourth set 13-11 to level at 2-2 he went on to take the deciding set 11-4 for a 3-2 win.
That took him through to the round of 16 and he produced another fighting performance to lead 1-0 and 2-1 against Chalermpong Punpoo before the Paris 2024 Paralympic bronze medallist from Thailand levelled at 2-2 and took the deciding set 11-6.
Women’s class 6
Fliss Pickard lost a tight first set 16-14 to Gabriela Constantin and twice came back to level but was just edged out by the former European bronze medallist from Romania 13-11 in the deciding set after having match point at 10-9. Pickard recovered from losing the first set to Jin Yucheng to beat the 17-year-old Para Asian champion from China 3-1 which took her through to the quarter-finals where she was impressive in beating Antonina Khodzynskaya, the former world, Paralympic and European medallist from Ukraine 3-0.
Pickard won her semi-final against the world No 8 Barbara Jablonka, the European Paralympic Youth Games champion from Poland 3-0 and made a great start in the final against Maryna Lytovchenko, taking the first set 11-5. The two-time world champion and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic champion from Ukraine responded by taking the next two sets and although Pickard kept fighting Lytovchenko clinched a 3-1 win, 11-7 in the fourth.
“Maryna is obviously a great player,” said Pickard, “and she has levels to her game that perhaps the other class 6 girls haven’t got. I’ve got huge respect for her, but I think she has respect for me and we’re pushing each other every time and to be in this position again I can be proud – it’s another opportunity and a learning curve.
“I feel like the class 6 level is just going up and up and all these players are coming from everywhere and the level is really building from tournament to tournament, and I’m just pleased to be in amongst it. You can’t take any match for granted and I’ve got to keep my level up, keep working and take confidence from this into the Elite tournament next week.”
Men’s class 1
European champion Rob Davies began with a comfortable 3-0 win against Victor Eduardo Reyes Turcio, the former two-time Para Pan American champion from Mexico and then beat his old rival Endre Major from Hungary, who beat Davies in the 2023 European final, 3-1. The Welshman secured top position in his group and a bye through to the semi-finals with a 3-0 win against Silvio Keller, the former European bronze medallist from Switzerland.
Having looked so strong all week Davies never really got going against Federico Falco and the Paralympic bronze medallist from Italy, who lost to Davies in the final of the European Championships last November, was a 3-0 winner.
“He’s a very good player but at the end of the day I didn’t really turn up today,” said Davies. “I didn’t get in the right place mentally somehow and I didn’t feel right before the match. I normally try and change that there and then, but I couldn’t and it was just hard to get going. I played so well all week and to play like that in the semi-final is just really disappointing. I’ve got another chance next week so hopefully I can make the result the opposite next time.”
Tom Matthews lost the first set 11-4 to the unranked Yu Zhongtao from China but came back strongly to win 3-1, 11-2 in the fourth. He beat world No 7 Timo Natunen from Finland 3-1 and had match points at 10-8 in the deciding set against Federico Falco but the Italian, who had twice come back to level, took the set 12-10 for a 3-2 win.
That meant that Matthews went through to the quarter-finals as group runner-up where he faced Endre Major. The Hungarian raced into an 8-1 lead in the first set and led 10-5 but Matthews fought back and having edged it 12-10 he went on to take the second set 11-8 and the third 11-8 to win 3-0. His reward was a semi-final against world No 1 Kim Hyeon Uk and after edging a tight first set 15-13 the former world champion from Korea Republic went on to win 3-0.
“The first set was massive,” said Matthews. “I was 10-8 down and then had chances to take it but just a few little mistakes cost me. It was really marginal but that’s table tennis – it is like a chess game and if those balls go on, I win the set.
“I’m really pleased to have played well here after last week and that is due to my mentality. My coach (Stephen Jenkins) and Mike (BPTT psychologist Mike Stoker) have helped me loads and changed my mindset. I know I’ve got the ability, and I know I’ve got the game – it just didn’t go to plan in Montenegro last week and here it has gone really well.
“I’m gutted not to be in the final but proud of a bronze medal. It is really good to be back in the mix again and I’m looking forward to playing doubles with Chris (Ryan) and coming back for the Elite next week. I’ll go back into the training hall, work on a few things and go again.”
Women’s class 9
Competing in only her second international Para tournament Lowri Hurd, who represented Wales at the 2023 European Youth Championships, was 2-0 down to 2018 world champion Kim Kun-Hea but kept herself in the match by taking the third set 11-9. She saved six match points before the world No 6 from Korea Republic edged the fourth set 13-11 to win 3-1.
Hurd was a 3-0 winner against Maria Migueles, the European Paralympic Youth Games silver medallist from Spain and progressed from the group on countback despite a 3-1 loss to world No 2 Alexa Szvitacs, the World and European champion from Hungary.
Hurd won only two points in the first set of her quarter-final against Liu Meng, the Rio 2016 Paralympic champion from China but responded with some brilliant play that turned the match in her favour. She took the second set 11-4 and the third 11-5 before securing a 3-1 win, 11-7 in the fourth.
Hurd had chances to take the first set in her semi-final against world No 1 Karolina Pek but the reigning Paralympic champion from Poland edged it 16-14 and then used her experience to complete a 3-0 win.
“At 14-14 in the first set I think she was a bit nervous,” said Hurd, “and winning it settled her down. This tournament was a lot harder than Spain and I’ve played the No 1 and 2 in the world and got a set off the No 2 and there were deuces as well, so it was close. I just need a bit more training and to work harder but I think I’m almost up there with the top players so it’s really good.
“When I lost the first set in the quarter-final 11-2 it was a bit shaky, but I managed to change my tactics in that match, and I’m really pleased with a bronze medal – it was really unexpected so I’m super happy.”
Men’s class 2
Chris Ryan found himself 2-0 down to world No 4 Luis Flores and although he took the third set 11-8 to reduce the deficit the two-time Para Pan American champion from Chile completed a 3-1 win, 11-7 in the fourth. Ryan twice came back to level against Iker Sastre but the world and European doubles silver medallist from Spain took the deciding set 11-7.
Men’s class 3
Former world No 1 Neil Robinson, who has returned to international competition this season after retiring following the Beijing Paralympic Games in 2008 started well against former class 2 European champion Colin Judge, leading 10-5 in the first set before the Irishman came back to edge it 15-13 and went on to win 3-0. Robinson beat Primoz Kancler in the European Championships in 2007 but this time it was the Slovenian who was a 3-1 winner, 13-11 in the fourth.
In his final group match Robinson showed that he still has the skill to compete with the best as he led world No 8 Vasyl Petruniv 1-0 and 2-1 before the European bronze medallist from Ukraine levelled at 2-2 and took the deciding set 11-9 to win 3-2.
Men’s class 4-5
Jack Hunter-Spivey showed all his fighting spirit to come back from 2-0 down and beat Shi Yanping, the class 4 former Asian Championships bronze medallist from China 3-2, 11-5 in the fifth. He secured his place in the knockout stages as group winner with a 3-0 win against Krszysztof Zylka from Poland, the class 4 world No 10 and former European bronze medallist.
Hunter-Spivey edged the first two sets 13-11 in his round of 16 match against world No 11 Nicolas Savant-Aira and went on to beat the former European champion and two-time Paralympic team medallist from France 3-0, 11-8 in the third. He was 2-1 up in his quarter-final against class 4 world No 4 Filip Nachazel and led 8-6 in the fourth set but the European champion from Czechia came back to take it 11-9 and took the deciding set 11-8 to win 3-2.
Men’s class 6
Paul Karabardak was beaten 3-1 by the world and Paralympic silver medallist and London 2012 Paralympic champion Rungroj Thainiyom from Thailand but secured his place in the knockout stages with a 3-0 win against Thomas Rau, the former world and European medallist and European team gold medallist from Germany. Karabardak went out in the round of 16 after a 3-1 loss to Samuel Altshuler, the 17-year-old Para Pan American Championships bronze medallist from the USA.
Men’s class 8
Aaron McKibbin was a 3-0 winner against American teenager Cole Rothenberger and secured top position in his group with a 3-0 win against 20-year-old Marcin Zielinski, the European Paralympic Youth Games doubles gold medallist from Poland.
As No 1 seed McKibbin received a round of 16 bye through to the quarter-finals where he was unlucky to be drawn against former world No 1 Zhao Shuai. The three-time Paralympic champion is one of a number of leading Chinese players whose current world ranking – in Zhao’s case 29 – bears no relation to their ability, having only played the Para Asian Championships last year since the new world ranking system was introduced after the Paris Paralympic Games. Zhao was a 3-0 winner although the match was more competitive than the scoreline suggested.
Ryan Henry was drawn in a tough group, and he started well against world No 3 Maksym Nikolenko taking the first set 11-9 before the Tokyo and Paris Paralympic bronze medallist came back to win 3-1. Henry did not progress after losing in three close sets to Phisit Wangphonphathanasiri, the Paris Paralympic bronze medallist and two-time Asian Championships doubles gold medallist from Thailand.
Men’s class 9
Joshua Stacey was impressive in beating Zhao Yi Qing, the four-time Asian Para Championships gold medallist and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic team champion from China 3-0 and secured his place in the knockout stages as group winner with a 3-0 win against Talgat Erekeyev, the former Asian Championships team bronze medallist from Kazakhstan. Stacey started well in his quarter-final against world No 12 Lev Kats taking the first set 11-7 but could not maintain his level and the world and European doubles champion from Ukraine came back strongly to win 3-1.
Men’s class 10
Shae Thakker was beaten 3-0 by Manuel Echaveguren, the world No 3 and two-time Para Pan American Championships silver medallist from Chile. He led 1-0 and 2-1 against Li Zexin but the 25-year-old from China, silver medallist in the World Para Future Tokyo last year levelled at 2-2 and took the deciding set 11-5 to win 3-2.
Women’s class 4-5
Class 4 Megan Shackleton had chances to win the first set against class 5 world No 5 Moon Sunghye and having lost it 13-11 she raced through the second set 11-2 to level at 1-1 before the three-time Paralympic medallist from Korea Republic secured a 3-1 win. Shackleton also had chances at 10-7 in the second set to level at 1-1 against Pan Jiamin but the Chinese class 5 two-time Paralympic silver medallist and Paris Paralympic doubles champion edged it 12-10 and went on to win 3-0.
Women’s class 8
Grace Williams was a 3-1 winner against Ren Guixiang from China, silver medallist in the World Para Future Yalova last month and then lost 3-1 to the American world No 8 Zu Mingyu, gold medallist in Chile and Brazil already this year. Williams was a 3-0 winner of her final group match against 17-year-old Magdalena Sutkowska Pawlasek from Poland which secured her place in the knockout stages. She made a great start to her quarter-final, taking the first set against Huang Wenjuan but the 21-year-old Paralympic champion from China came back to win 3-1.
The tournament continues with the doubles events which conclude on Saturday.