by Francesca Bullock, British Para Table Tennis Team Press Officer

Will Bayley (men’s class 7) and Rob Davies (men’s class 1) made a winning start to the international season, winning gold in their respective events at the Lignano Master Open in Italy earlier this month.

Meanwhile, 23 year old Ross Wilson retained the National Open Standing title last year one week after becoming Commonwealth champion in Australia. He will be hoping to have recovered from the hamstring injury that ruled him out in Italy.

“The Nationals is always an important competition. It is a really special feeling to be national champion and it is great to win when the standard is so high now. It would be amazing to defend my title again and I will give it my very best shot.” Ross Wilson

In addition to Will Bayley, among Ross Wilson’s strongest challengers for the Open Standing title is likely to come from Commonwealth medallists Kim Daybell and Josh Stacey.

Also English national champion Ashley Facey Thompson is very much in the frame as is London and Rio Paralympic Games bronze medallist Aaron McKibbin. Furthermore, former European bronze medallist Billy Shilton and Grantham College student Jack Stockdale are contenders. Jack Stockdale took bronze in the men’s class 10 singles at the recent Costa Brava Open and won the Open Standing doubles title with Josh Stacey and the men’s class 10 singles at last year’s National Championships.

“The nationals are very important to me; especially this year as I have the opportunity to retain two different titles, which is always the first aim. It meant a lot winning the class 10 singles title last year as it helped show how much I had improved. Even though I would like to win both titles again, doing well in the Open singles would mean a lot to me as well. Last year I got to the quarter-finals so if I can do better than that this year, I will be very happy as it shows I have made even more progress. Overall, I am looking forward the tournament and the whole atmosphere of it.” Ashley Facey Thompson

In recent years, the open wheelchair event has been dominated by Jack Hunter-Spivey. He will be bidding for this sixth national open title and his seventh men’s class 5 title. The 23 year old from Liverpool returned from Italy with men’s class 5 singles bronze and team gold but will face tough competition from World team medallist Megan Shackleton, as well as improving young players Dan Bullen and recently crowned Welsh champion, Cellan Hall.

“I’m really proud of my national titles. I haven’t lost a match in a national competition for six years but the competition gets harder and harder every year. Great Britain is one of the leading countries in Para table tennis and I’m so proud to be national champion of such a strong nation. I think it is great for players starting out to compete with British team members. I remember when I was a player coming through the ranks the excitement and anticipation to compete against leading international players at the National championships was a great feeling and something I looked forward to all year. It would mean a lot to me to retain my titles. The standard is getting better and better every year and if I am able to retain them it would be a proud moment for me.” Jack Hunter-Spivey

In men’s class 1-2 event Rio gold medallist Rob Davies will be strongly challenged by fellow Welshman Tom Matthews, who took men’s class 1 bronze in the World Championships last October, while women’s class 6 World bronze medallist Fliss Pickard will be bidding to retain her women’s open standing title and Harry Fairchild will bid be hoping to repeat his win in last year’s Down’s Syndrome final.