Paul Drinkhall picked up a win against a higher-ranked opponent at the WTT Star Contender Ljubljana, before going out in the next round, while Tom Jarvis was knocked out by the top-ranked player in the qualifying stage.

Drinkhall, currently ranked 133, was up against No 71 Eduard Ionescu of Romania in the first qualifying round. After losing the first game, Drinkhall turned it around to win the next two 14-12 – saving two game points in both – and go on to complete a 3-1 victory.

He next faced Samuel Kulczycki of Poland (WR 171) and was edged out in four close games.

After losing the first, Drinkhall saved a game point on his way to winning the second and then had four game points at various stages in the third. He was unable to take any of them and, when Kulczycki took his own second chance, Drinkhall earned a yellow card for throwing his bat on the table.

In the fourth, Drinkhall led 7-3 and 10-8, but saw his opponent take four points in a row to seal victory.

Meanwhile, Jarvis (WR 195) won his first match against Miha Podobnik of Slovenia in three close games but was then defeated by Japan’s Hiroto Shinozuka (WR 49), losing the first 10 points of the match but thereafter giving a good account, including saving three match points in the third.

Results

Men’s Singles
Qualifying round 1
Tom Jarvis bt Miha Podobnik (SLO) 3-0 (11-8, 12-10, 12-10)
Paul Drinkhall bt Eduard Ionescu (ROU) 3-1 (5-11, 14-12, 14-12, 11-8)

Qualifying round 2
Hiroto Shinozuka (JPN) bt Jarvis 3-0 (11-1, 11-7, 13-11)