Rio 2016 Paralympic champions Rob Davies and Will Bayley came through tough quarterfinals yesterday evening to assure themselves of a singles medal in men’s class 1 and men’s class 7 respectively but there was disappointment for Tom Matthews who was beaten in his men’s class 1 quarterfinal.

Davies was unable to defend his Paralympic title in Tokyo due to injury and faced a difficult opponent in the World number three Kim Hakjin from Korea Republic.

The Welshman recovered from 9-6 down to take the first set 11-9 and then from 5-0 down in the second he produced a run of 11 consecutive points with some superb play and a variety of shots to which Kim had no answer. But the Korean is a tough competitor and after a timeout at 5-4 in the third he took the set 11-8 and went on to take the fourth 11-3 to level at 2-2 and take the match into a deciding fifth set.

Kim looked to have taken control of the match at 5-0 but with cries of ‘Let’s go Robbie, let’s go’ from the British supporters echoing around the arena Davies fought back to level at 5-5 and went on to take the set 11-8 and the match 3-2.

“I felt pretty good at the end of the second set” he said, “and it was pretty amazing to take 11 points on the trot. I felt I was starting to play well again and just needed to roll the ball on and make it a bit easier for myself but then I just went into self-destruct after that second set. It’s not the first time I’ve done it and I think I’m just a little match-rusty and it took me a while to not do that really and keep my focus.

“At 5-0 down in the fifth I just sort of relaxed. I heard my brother and my wife shouting and some of the other GB supporters and I just dug deep somehow and played a bit more freely. I just dug in and got a few points here and there and just kept that pressure on him which I knew if I could do that he’d struggle. He’s a tough competitor and I lost to him last time I played him so I knew it was going to be a battle and I could have made it a bit easier for myself.

“I’m so grateful to be back on the Paralympic stage again. I’ve had a really tough four years – I had that issue that kept me out of Tokyo that didn’t just last that year, it lasted another two years and I’ve got to thank my PAs and the team – they’ve been my backbone really and they’ve been totally committed. It is that that’s got me back on track and without that I wouldn’t be here today.”

Bayley had not dropped a set in three previous meetings with Bjoern Schnake but the German won the Paralympic Qualification Tournament to book his place in Paris and played a superb match to beat the Chinese World number seven Liao Keli in the previous round.

Bayley took the first set 11-5 but Schnake came back to take the second 11-9 to level at 1-1 and he made the World champion work hard to take the next set 11-6 and secure a 3-1 win 11-5 in the fourth.

“I’m so glad to come through that,” said Bayley. “I’m playing so well, and I just thought if I did what I did today I’d manage to win but I didn’t expect him to play so well. To be honest I didn’t think he was capable of doing what he did today. So, I had to stay calm and I just went back to tactics and what I had to do to win. I think I used my experience today – I’ve been in big matches before in big competitions and it was important that I’ve won the Worlds and the Europeans because I’ve been up against it in those as well and I’ve come through. I just think I had a bit of confidence, and I thought to myself ‘I’ve still got this, if I stick to my guns I can still get through this’. It felt like a bit of a whirlwind that I was caught up in at times, but we got through it.

“He was tactically really good against me and when someone does that to me it makes it difficult. To win when someone has done that is really good so I can take confidence from that because he tactically couldn’t have played me much better – he was spot on. I stuck in there and I eventually pulled away and so that gives me confidence. I want to go all the way. I think I’m playing the best of my career and I’m ready to go all the way so ‘let’s go’.”

GB head coach Andrew Rushton was in the corner for both matches, going straight from Davies to support Bayley, and he admitted that it had been a traumatic hour and a half.

“Traumatic is an understatement,” he said. “To win 11-8 in the fifth with Rob and then to have to go straightaway to Will’s match and switch from a different style and a different game was tough but I’m so proud of both of them. How they’ve prepared, how they’ve worked, how they’ve persevered. Rob was down and Will was down and that shows our fighting qualities. That shows what we’re trying to do with the squad to make them strong to make them mentally tough and prepared for whatever. Will’s opponent has just played the best I’ve ever seen him play and for Will to be able to find a way and think his way through that game to nullify what he was doing speaks volumes.”

Tokyo bronze medallist Matthews came up against the two-time Para PanAmerican Games champion Yunier Fernandez. Their only previous meeting came in Costa Rica in 2015 when Fernandez won in five sets and he took the first 11-5 before Matthews fought back to take the second 12-10, setting up game point with a perfect tetraloop. Urged on by shouts of ‘Vamos’ from his coach the World number 10 from Cuba went 2-1 up after taking the third set 11-4 and although Matthews kept fighting and saved two match points at 10-7 down in the fourth Fernandez took a timeout before securing a 3-1 victory 11-9.

“He doesn’t play many tournaments which does make it difficult to have a game plan,” said a bitterly disappointed Matthews, “but I’ve got to say a massive thank you to Emma Bird and Jen Roach the performance analysts who’ve done a phenomenal job getting footage on this guy. It was just one of those games – I couldn’t really get going and he was the better guy on the day I’ve got to give him credit for that. I guess it’s back to the drawing board and see where we’re at and fight again.

“I’m proud of the way I kept fighting and I always will keep fighting. I’ve been through bigger things in my life and I fought through those so I’ll keep fighting until I get that gold medal. I just want to say thanks to everyone for coming out and supporting me and obviously the UK Lottery players. Without them I wouldn’t be able to be a full-time athlete so thanks to them and thanks to Paralympics GB – it’s been an honour to represent them again. Sadly, I didn’t get the medal this time but LA 2028 let’s hope.”

Photograph of Rob Davies by Table Tennis England Official Photographer, Michael Loveder.