Titles decided, there was no shortage of unexpected gold medallists as play concluded on Saturday 1st October in Argostoli at the Greek Para Open; the men’s singles wheelchair classes produced the most unforeseen outcomes.
Hungary’s Endre Major emerged the class 1 winner, Great Britain’s Jack Hunter-Spivey won class 5; titles as expected, they commenced matters the top seeds.
Rather differently, the Czech Republic’s Martin Zvolanek secured the class 2 title, Frenchmen Sylvain Noel and Emeric Martin realised gold in class 3 and class 4 respectively.
In all three instances, it was seizing the opportunity, securing victory in the final against an adversary who had ousted the top seed in the penultimate round.
At the final hurdle, Martin Zvolanek beat Slovakia’s Jan Riapos (8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-6), the semi-final winner in opposition to colleague Martin Ludrovsky, the top seed (6-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-7).
Likewise, Sylvain Noel beat compatriot, François Geuljans (8-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-9), the victor one round earlier when facing the Czech Republic’s Petr Svatos (11-7, 11-4, 11-6), the leading name on duty.
Following suit, after Slovakia’s Peter Mihalik had ousted Indonesia’s Adyos Astan (11-7, 3-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-8), it was defeat when facing Emeric Martin (8-11, 11-8, 11-9, 12-10).
Upsets, in the men’s singles standing classes, unexpected outcomes were less prevalent, the performance of note being that achieved by Great Britain’s Aaron McKibbin.
At the final hurdle he accounted for colleague Billy Shilton (5-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-5), the semi-final winner in opposition to Frenchman, Thomas Bouvais (11-6, 7-11, 11-6, 11-9), a player in form. One round earlier he had ousted compatriot, Clément Berthier, the top seed (11-9, 5-11, 11-3, 11-9).
Otherwise in the men’s singles standing events, the top seeds prevailed. Italy’s Matteo Parenzan (class 6), Germany’s Björn Schnake (class 7) and Great Britain’s Josh Stacey (class 9) all justified their exalted positions, a situation that applied also to Indonesia’s David Jacobs (class 10).
Meanwhile, in the women’s singles Lucie Hautière of France, who in the group stage had beaten Hungary’s Zsofia Arloy, the top seed (11-2, 11-9, 9-11, 11-6), maintained her good form. She beat Indonesia’s Suwarti Suwarti (11-6, 11-5, 11-5) to arrest the class 8 title. Earlier at the semi-final stage, Suwarti Suwarti had ended the progress of Zsofia Arloy (12-10, 11-9, 12-10).
Success for Lucie Hautière, in the remaining women’s singles events concluded on the second day of play it was gold for the most prominent names.
Alexandra Saint-Pierre (class 3-5), Great Britain’s Fliss Pickard (class 6-7) and Hungary’s Alexa Svitacs (class 9-10) all emerged winners.
Attention now turns to men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles; play concluding on Sunday 2nd October.
