by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Notable success for Ukraine; equally France enjoyed a day to remember. Moreover they sprung surprises. Alan Papirer partnered Hungary’s Endre Major to first place in Class 1, an event organised on a group basis; starting matters as the fourth highest rated in the group, the finished in first place ahead of top seeds, Great Britain’s Paul Davies and Tom Matthews.
Likewise, Mateo Boheas in partnership with Montenegro’s Filip Radovic secured the Class 10 title against expectations. The recorded a two-one win in the final when confronting Spain’s José Manuel Reyes and Jorge Cardona, the two-nil semi-final winners in opposition to the top seed partnership of Poland’s Igor Misztal and Thailand’s Sukij Samee.
Success against the odds for France; in the other two instances it was as status predicted. The favourites, following the withdrawal of Great Britain’s top seeded duo of Martin Perry and David Wetherill, Bastian Grundeler and Switzerland’s Valentin Kneuss won Class 6; Maxime Thomas and Florian Merrien, the no.1 seeds captured the Class 4 title.
Surprise champions and there was one more; Serbia’s Darko Babic and Mitar Palikuca won Class 5; the pair accounting for Turkey’s Ali Ozturk and Hamza Calskan in the final, having ousted the top seeded pairing of Great Britain’s Jack Hunter-Spivey and Norway’s Tommy Urhaug, one round earlier.
Meanwhile, in the remaining events it was gold as seeding advised. The Slovak Republic’s Jan Riapos and Martin Ludrovsky won Class 2; Russia’s Iurii Nozdrunov, the Men’s Singles Class 9 winner, partnered Spain’s Juan Perez to Men’s Team Class 9 gold. Similarly, the combination of Hungary’s Peter Palos and Belgium’s Florian Van Acker, finalists in Men’s Singles Class 11 with the former the winner, combined to secure the top step of the podium in the same category in the Men’s Team event.
Play concluded in Lasko, attention now turns to Bratislava; the World Para Team Championships commence on Wednesday 17th May.
2017 Thermana Lasko 14th Slovenia Para Open: Latest Results (Tuesday 9th May)