by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager

In the Women’s Singles event both Thailand’s Dararat Asayut and Borislava Peric-Rankovic, gold medallist at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games are on duty; in Slovakia, Dararat Asayut won Class 3, Borislava Peric-Rankovic was crowned the Class 4-5 champion.

Similarly, in the Women’s Singles standing categories, Ukraine’s Maryna Lytovchenko appears in Class 6 as does Poland’s Dajana Jastrzebsaka; she is present in Class 8. Also, there is strong Turkish representation. Winners in Slovakia; Kubra Korkut is named in the Class 7 entry list, in Class 9 Neslihan Kavas is once again present.

Strong European representation, there is also strong representation from Latin America. Brazil’s Bruna Alexander, seeks to repeat her Class 10 success.

It is no different in the Men’s Singles event. Successful in Bratislava, Hungary’s Endre Major is present in Class 1, as is Frenchman and Rio Paralympic Games gold medallist Fabien Lamirault in Class 2. In a similar vein, Poland’s Rafael Lis competes in Class 4, Norway’s Tommy Urhaug in Class 5.

Notably, in the Men’s Singles standing events, there is a strong representation from Ukraine. Winners in Bratislava, Maksym Nikolenko, Viktor Didukh and Lev Kats all compete. Maksym Nikolenko is the top seed in Class 7, Viktor Didukh in Class 8 and Lev Kats in Class 9.

Seeking consecutive success, the same applies to Montenegro’s Filip Radovic and Japan’s Koya Kato; Filip Radovic appears in Class 10, Koya Kato in Class 11.

Meanwhile, two noteworthy names, not present in Slovakia, appear on the Slovenia entry Men’s Singles list.

Will Bayley, gold medallist at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, is present in Class 7; Ross Wilson, victorious less than a month ago at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games competes in the Class 8 event.