by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager
Wijittra Jaion and Wassana Sringam won Women’s Class 1-5 recording a two-nil win against Argentina’s Maria Garonne and Nayla Kuell in the final, a result that repeated the success recorded the previous day in the group stage. Notably in the penultimate round Maria Garonne and Nayla Kuell had beaten Brazil’s Joyce Oliveira and Marliane Amaral, the top seeds.
Similarly in Men’s Class 5 it was success for Thailand against the odds. Jedsada Yadyangdeang and Niyom Natchal emerged victorious; at the final hurdle they recorded a two-one win against the top seeded combination of Brazil’s Claudiomiro Segatta and Geradus Van Grusven of the Netherlands.
Two surprise champions and there were more. In Women’s Class 8-10, in a group organised event Romania’s Ioana-Monica Tepelea, Tabita Vulturer and Maria Stanescu finished ahead of the top seeds Norway’s Aida Dahlen and the host nation’s Raquel Mareu.
Likewise in Men’s Class 3-4, Romania caused a surprise; in the title deciding contest Petru Ifrosa and Ioan Dirlea beat the pairing of Slovakia’s Boris Travnicek and Bernt Norgren, the top seeds, by two matches to nil.
Surprise winners, it was the same in Men’s Class 8 and Men’s Class 11; in the former the Netherlands combination of Jean-Paul Montanus and Andrianus Van Amerongen received a walk-over in the final when due to face Sweden’s Anders Andersson and Emil Andersson, the no.1 seeds. In the latter in a group arranged event, Turkey’s Garip Olcas and Utku Caberoglu finished ahead of the top seeded French pairing comprising Antoine Zhao and Timothe Ivaldi.
Otherwise, it was success for the top seeds.
Additional to Rungroj Thainiyom and Charlermpong Punpoo, the host nation’s Iker Sastre and Miguel Angel Toledo won Men’s Class 1-2; Russia’s Iurii Nozdrunov and Pavel Luknayov claimed the Class 9-10 title.
Meanwhile, in Women’s Class 7, there was more success for Romania; Gabriella Constantin combined with Argentina’s Giselle Muñoz top seal the top prize.
2018 Spanish Para Open: Latest Results and Draws
