Davies and Bayley take singles gold in France
Rob Davies and Will Bayley successfully defended their titles in the men’s class 1 and men’s class 7 singles respectively at the ITTF World Para Elite Yvelines in France today as the British Para table tennis team continues its preparation for the World Para Championships in Thailand in November. Teenager Bly Twomey also took bronze in women’s class 7.
Men’s class 1
Rob Davies was a 3-0 winner against the Hungarian world number 13 Adam Urlauber and then recovered from losing a tight second set 12-10 to beat world number eight Dmitrii Lavrov, the former two-time European bronze medallist from Russia 3-1. A 3-0 win against the American Michael Godfrey secured his place in the knockout stages as group winner and a bye into the semi-finals where he faced the 2023 European champion Endre Major. Davies looked to be in control at 2-0, 7-3 but the Hungarian is such a tough competitor and having levelled at 7-7 he saved four match points and edged a tense third set 15-13 before Davies secured a 3-1 win, 11-5 in the fourth.
That took him through to the final against world number five Federico Falco in a repeat of last year’s European Championships final that Davies won in four sets. The Italian, Paralympic bronze medallist in Paris 2024, won their most recent meeting in Slovenia in May 3-0 but Davies took the first set 11-6 before Falco levelled at 1-1 and then took a close third 13-11 after saving set points at 10-8 down. Davies took the fourth 11-8 to force a deciding set and led 10-7 but Falco levelled at 10-10 and had match points of his own before Davies edged the set 15-13 to win 3-2.
“It’s been a brilliant tournament,” said Davies, “and I’m really happy that I managed to defend my title. There’s lots to work on, but I’m really chuffed to have battled the way I did, first of all against Major and then against Falco. It’s definitely building well towards the Worlds - I’m looking forward to the next few weeks training and I’ve got another tournament in Spain next month as well. Really chuffed with the gold and I’d like to thank everyone who has helped me - especially Lewis (Jones) my PA out here who has worked really hard and makes life easy for me when I’m away at a competition. I also want to thank my wife Meg for everything she does.”
After losing a close first set to Timo Natunen 11-9, Tom Matthews led 9-5 in the second but the world number three from Finland, gold medallist in Thailand and Finland this season came back to take it 11-9 and completed a 3-0 win, 11-6 in the third. Matthews started well against Rakan Abdulrahman Alsalmi taking the first set 11-4 and although the world number 11 from Saudi Arabia, gold medallist in Kazakhstan in July levelled at 1-1 the Welshman took the third 11-7 and clinched a 3-1 win and his place in the knockout stages 11-9 in the fourth. Matthews again started well in his quarterfinal and led Endre Major 7-3 in the first set before the Hungarian won eight consecutive points to take it 11-7 and went on to take the second 11-8. Matthews fought back to take the third 11-9 but Major secured a 3-1 win, 11-6 in the fourth.
Men’s class 7
Will Bayley looked to be on his way to a 3-0 win against Patrick Vaughan, but the Irishman saved two match points and edged the third set 12-10 before Bayley secured a 3-1 win, 11-7 in the fourth. He beat former two-time European team medallist Michal Deigsler from Poland 3-0 to secure his place in the knockout stages as group winner and was quick out of the blocks in his quarterfinal against Jonas Hansson, taking the first set 11-2. He took the second 11-8 and completed a 3-0 win against the European silver medallist from Sweden, 11-8 in the third.
In the semi-final he faced world number three Sayed Youssef, the eight-time African Para champion and former World bronze medallist from Egypt who won their most recent meeting in Thailand in five sets. Once again Bayley started well, taking the first set 11-4 and then fought back from 10-7 down to take the second set 12-10 before completing an impressive 3-0 win, 11-3 in the third. That took him through to the final against world number seven Claudio Bahamondes and after taking the first set 11-6 he took the second 11-1 and the third 11-5 to beat the Para Pan American Championships silver medallist from Chile 3-0.
“I’m pretty pleased with my performance,” said Bayley. “I felt it was my best performance of the season which is good timing before the Worlds. I think Andrew (BPTT head coach Andrew Rushton) and I worked well together this week, and I dominated all my matches. I felt my movement was really good and the timing on my forehand has improved a lot over the last few weeks, so I want to keep that going now. I just need to improve in the next eight weeks and play my best for the World Championships.”
Women’s class 7
After losing the first set against Kubra Korkut, Bly Twomey led 8-3 in the second but could not capitalise and the World champion from Turkey took it 11-9 to lead 2-0. Twomey recovered from that disappointment to win the third 11-5 but Korkut took the fourth 11-6 to win 3-1. Twomey progressed to the knockout stages after a 3-1 win against Smilla Sand, the European bronze medallist from Sweden and lost her semi-final to Kelly Van Zon, the four-time Paralympic champion and world number two from the Netherlands 3-0.
“I’m very happy with bronze as this was a strong tournament,” said Twomey. “I did not play my strongest table tennis but overall, I’m happy with my performance. The second set against Kubra was crucial and if I’d taken it then it would give me more confidence going into the World Championships knowing I was closer to her. It was good to play Kelly before the Worlds as she has a lot of experience and knowledge of the game, and it helps me to know what I need to do to beat her going into the Worlds and hopefully into LA28. I wish I’d played a bit better against Kelly and given her a better game but hopefully I can do better next time.”
Men’s class 8
Aaron McKibbin came through his group with a 3-1 win against Marc Ledoux from Belgium and a 3-0 win against Luiz Filipe Guarnieri Manara from Brazil. He took the first set against European champion Clement Berthier but the world number seven from France started to dominate with his powerful forehand and took the next two sets to lead 2-1. McKibbin responded by taking the fourth 11-3 and led 7-4 in the deciding set before a timeout for the Frenchman turned the match in his favour and although McKibbin fought back from 9-7 down to level at 9-9 and saved a match point at 10-9 down Berthier took the set 12-10 for a 3-2 win.
Billy Shilton was a 3-0 winner against Victor Farinloye from Nigeria and was then involved in a great battle with Borna Zohil, fighting back to level at 2-2 before the Croatian world number nine took the deciding set 11-8. Shilton joined McKibbin in the knockout stages with a 3-0 win against Tobiasz Glowczyk from Poland and made a great start against world number three Piotr Grudzien taking the first set 11-8 and the third 11-6 after the former World and Paralympic medallist from Poland had levelled at 1-1. Shilton had match point at 10-9 in the fourth but could not convert it and Grudzien edged the set 12-10 before taking the deciding set 11-9.
Men’s class 2
Chris Ryan had taken world number three Fabien Lamirault to five sets in their most recent two meetings, but he never really got going this time and the three-time World champion and former two-time Paralympic champion from France was a 3-0 winner. Ryan showed his character and potential in his second group match against the very experienced Jan Riapos, fighting back from 2-1 down to level at 2-2 and clinching a 3-2 win against the former two-time Paralympic champion from Slovakia, 11-4 in the fifth. With Riapos beating Lamirault the group was decided on countback and Ryan was unlucky to miss out on a place in the knockout stages.
Men’s class 4-5
After a slow start Jack Hunter-Spivey had chances to take the third set against world number one Valentin Baus but the World champion from Germany took it 12-10 to clinch a 3-0 win. Hunter-Spivey raced through the first set against Carlos Eduardo Freire de Moraes 11-2 and then fought back from 2-1 down to level at 2-2 and take the deciding set 11-7 to beat the world number eight and Para Pan American Championships bronze medallist from Brazil 3-2. That win secured his place in the knockout stages where he faced Bolawa Akingbemisilu in the round of 16. After losing the first set Hunter-Spivey took the second 11-4 to level at 1-1 and then lost a tight third set 14-12 which proved decisive as the former African Para champion from Nigeria went on to win 3-1.
Men’s class 6
Martin Perry came up against Peter Rosenmeier in his first group match and the former two-time World and Paralympic champion from Denmark was in top form in a 3-0 win. After losing the first set to Haris Eminovic, Perry had points to level at 1-1 but could not convert them and the world number 20 from Bosnia and Herzegovina took the second set 14-12 and completed a 3-0 win, 11-6 in the third.
Paul Karabardak edged a tight first set against Matias Pino 12-10 before the world number seven from Chile levelled at 1-1 and went on to win 3-1. Karabardak did not progress after a 3-0 loss to two-time European doubles champion Esteban Herrault from France.
Women’s class 6
Fliss Pickard lost a tight first set to Najlah Al Dayyeni 13-11 and the Paralympic champion from Iraq went on to complete a 3-0 win. After losing the first set against Gulmira Gonobina, Pickard fought back to take the second 12-10 before the Russian world number seven took the third 11-9 and the fourth 11-8 to win 3-1. Pickard dropped the first set again against Cajsa Stadler but fought back to lead 2-1 before the European bronze medallist from Sweden levelled at 2-2. In the deciding set Pickard recovered from 7-4 down to lead 8-7 but Stadler proved just the stronger and took the set 11-9 and the match 3-2.
Women’s class 9
Lowri Hurd had a tough first match against Chinese born Lei Lina and the former three-time World and Paralympic champion from Australia was a 3-0 winner. Hurd started well against Olga Gorshkaleva, taking the first set 11-2 but the former European champion from Russia used all her experience to take the next three sets 11-7 to win 3-1. After dropping the first set against Alexa Szvitacs, Hurd took the second 12-10 and had chances to take the third before the World and European champion from Hungary edged it 13-11 and went on to take the fourth 11-8 for a 3-1 win.
The tournament continues with the doubles events that conclude on Wednesday.