Women’s Class 4
Megan Shackleton (8) vs Ghaliah Alanazi (KSA – 13)
The Round of 16 draw has given Megan Shackleton a match against Ghaliah Alanazi. The Saudi Arabian is the bottom seed in the event, but a big task awaits should Shackleton progress through. Top seed, Borislava Peric-Rankovic (SRB) awaits in the quarter final as she has been handed a bye to progress directly to that stage. Beyond that, a potential semi final awaits with Tokyo silver medallist Bhavinaben Patel (IND – 4).

Women’s Class 6
Fliss Pickard (4) – Round of 16 Bye
Pickard’s wait for her Paralympic singles debut will have to wait one round as she was handed a bye to progress to the quarter final, where she will meet either Camelia Ciripan (ROU – 6) or Merethe Tveiten (NOR – 11). However, Fliss has been drawn in the same half as Maryna Lytovchenko (UKR – 1), and could meet her in the semi final if both progress that far. No doubt Pickard will be spurred on by her opening day bronze medal in the women’s class 14 doubles with Bly Twomey.

Women’s Class 7
Bly Twomey (4) – Round of 16 Bye
The 14 year old sensation continues to take the table tennis world by storm and has been given a bye directly into the quarter final where she will face Jenny Helene Slettum (NOR – 10) or Smilla Sand (SWE – 6). A potential semi final matchup with Tokyo bronze medallist Kubra Korkut (TUR – 2) may be on the cards should Bly be successful in the quarters.

Men’s Class 1
Rob Davies (6) – Round of 16 Bye
Tom Matthews (4) – Round of 16 Bye
Both Rob Davies and Tom Matthews have been given byes in the Round of 16, and will advance directly to the quarter final stages. Davies, the 2016 Paralympic champion, is seeded 6th and will face second seed Kim Hakjin (KOR) in his opening singles match. His opponent has also received a Round of 16 bye. Matthews, seeded at 4, will face either 7th seed Yunier Fernandez (CUB) or 9th seed Eslam Raslan (EGY) in the quarter final stage. He will be looking to go one round further this time, as he ended up with a bronze in Tokyo in this event. Neither Brit would face each other unless both reach the gold medal match.

Men’s Class 6
Paul Karabardak (12) vs Peter Rosenmeier (DEN – 1)
Martin Perry (7) vs Ian Seidenfeld (USA – 10)
Both Brits in the men’s class 6 Round of 16 will face Tokyo medallists in this event. Paul Karabardak has been dealt a tough challenge as he has been drawn against top seed, Peter Rosenmeier of Denmark, who took silver three years ago, while Martin Perry will take on reigning Paralympic champion Ian Seidenfeld from the USA. Paul, a bronze medallist from this event in Japan, lost to Seidenfeld in the semi final in order to pick up that medal.

Men’s Class 7
Will Bayley (1) vs Stephane Messi (FRA – 9)
Will Bayley enters the class 7 singles in the Round of 16 as the top seed and big favourite for the title, but in his words, “it won’t be easy”. He now faces Stephane Messi, who will be competing in front of a home crowd, no doubt there will be a very excited arena when this match takes place! The five time Paralympic veteran will be more determined than ever to win in front of many travelling fans from Brighton, and across the country as he looks to upgrade his silver medal from Tokyo in this same event.

Men’s Class 8
Aaron McKibbin (7) Round of 32 Bye
Billy Shilton (6) Round of 32 Bye
Both McKibbin and Shilton have both been given byes into the Round of 16 in the class 8 singles. Aaron McKibbin has three bronze medals from three previous games, and his first hurdle in the mission to continue that trend. He will face either Nathan Pellissier (AUS – 19) or Richard Csejtey (SVK – 12) in the next stage of the competition. Should McKibbin win that match, he could face reigning champion Shuai Zhao (CHN – 4) in the quarter final. Billy is in an identical but will face either Seyed Hosseini Pour (RPT – 21) or Phisit Wangphonphathanasiri (THA – 13), with a potential quarter final vs Poland’s Piotr Grudzien (3).

Men’s Class 9
Joshua Stacey (6) vs Lev Kats (UKR – 9)
Stacey is heading into the singles with a task at hand as this remains his last opportunity to medal at these games after a Round of 16 exit in the men’s class 18 doubles with Aaron McKibbin and a close defeat in the mixed class 17 doubles with Bly Twomey quarter final. The 6th seed will face Ukrainian opposition in Lev Kats. Should he be successful, he will face 2nd seed and defending silver medallist Ma Lin (AUS) at the quarter final stage.

For full draws and rankings, visit here, and for the competition schedule and results, visit here.

Photography by Michael Loveder