by Ian Marshall, Editor

In the group stage of proceedings, Russia’s Vladimir Toporkov and Rail Galiakberov accounted for the French partnership of Sylvain Noël and Stéphane Gil-Martins, the no.3 seeds by two matches to one, a result that ensured first place in the group with the French pair in second position.

Good form in the initial phase, it was maintained in the main draw, Vladimir Toporkov and Rail Galiakberov once again causing France pain; they recorded a two-nil quarter-final win in opposition to François Geuljans and Florian Paire. Meanwhile, Sylvain Noël and Stéphane Gil-Martins recovered, they beat Spain’s Roberto Rodriguez and José Maria Ordejon by the same margin to secure their penultimate round place.

Vladimir Toporkov and Rail Galiakberov now meet top seeds Ukraine’s Vasyl Petruniv and Oleksandr Yezyk; Sylvain Noël and Stéphane Gil-Martins face Austria’s Egon Kramminger and Manfred Dollmann, the second seeds. Vasyl Petruniv and Oleksandr Yezyk, alongside Egon Kramminger and Manfred Dollmann topped their groups without experiencing defeat.

Problems for Sylvain Noël and Stéphane Gil-Martins; in Class 1-2 organised on a group basis and in Class 4-5 administered in two stages, there were no such troubles for the leading teams.

In Class 1-2, Russia’s Evgenii Riazantcev and Dmitriy Lavrov, the top seeds, remained unbeaten in the early contests as did the French pairing of Benoît Basset and Julian Michaud, the second seeds.

Likewise, in Class 4-5 where there were three groups in the initial phase, Indonesia’s Agus Sutanto and Tatok Hardiyanto, the top seeds, duly finished in first position in their group, as did the next team in the order of merit, their colleagues, Adyos Astan and Yayang Gunaya.

Both Indonesian pairs received a direct entry to the semi-finals, for Romania’s Petru Ifrosu and Ioan Dirlea, the no.3 seeds, after securing first place in their group, they were required compete in the quarter-final round. They duly succeeded, impressively they recorded a two-nil win in opposition to Sweden’s Bernt Morgen and David Olsson; earlier, the Swedes had finished in second place in the group phase behind Adyos Astan and Yayang Gunaya.

Proceedings at the 2018 Spanish Para Open conclude on Sunday 18th November.

2018 Spanish Para Open: Latest Results and Main Event Draws