It was a valiant effort from English pairing Samuel Walker and Paul Drinkhall in the men’s doubles. They faced Swedish pairing Par Gerell & Jens Lundqvist and took them to five in thrilling fashion.

The English pair found themselves 2-1 down but managed to remain in the game through victory in the fourth to level things two apiece.

In the last game, they had one match point to claim victory. However, the Swedish fought back to take the game 12-10 and match 3-2 (11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 11-13, 12-10).

It was a happier outing for pairing Liam Pitchford and Tom Jarvis who beat Spanish duo Jesus Cantero & Carlos Machado in comfortable fashion 3-0 (11-7, 11-6, 11-8).

In the men’s singles preliminary round 2, Walker lost to French opponent Stephane Ouaiche 4-3 having been in the lead 3-2. The Frenchman formally ranked 55 in the world in 2017, pulled off a comeback against Walker to take the last two games and the match 4-3 (15-13, 4-11, 11-5, 9-11, 10-12, 11-6, 11-7).

Drinkhall beat Yew En Koen Pang of Singapore 4-1 (11-3, 11-7, 5-11, 11-8, 11-2). It proved a comfortable match for Drinkhall who used his experience to overcome the 17-year-old opposition.

Jarvis was unable to beat Russian opponent Kirill Skachkov. Although Jarvis leveled things 1-1 after the second game, the number 58 in the world took the next three games 11-8 to claim victory over the Englishman 4-1 (11-9, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8).

Drinkhall produced an emphatic comeback to beat Slovenian Darko Jorgic 4-3 (11-7, 5-11,6-11 8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-5). 3-1 down going into game 5, Drinkhall was down by 2 points and turned the game around to take it 13-11 which started the three-game winning streak he needed to make it to the next preliminary round.

The match was the first time in ITTF history, that both men competing were coached by women. A moment in history for the sport and Ceri Davies, coach of Drinkhall, commented afterward that “It’s always a privilege to coach Paul, and I will forever be grateful for the faith he’s put in me”.

Watch Drinkhall and Walker

https://www.facebook.com/ITTFWorld/videos/2470194759917685/

Results

Men’s Singles

Preliminary round 2

Stephane Ouaiche (FRA) bt Samuel Walker 4-3 (15-13, 4-11, 11-5, 9-11, 10-12, 11-6, 11-7)

Paul Drinkhall bt Yew En Koen Pang (SGP) 4-1 (11-3, 11-7, 5-11, 11-8, 11-2)

Kirill Skachkov (RUS) bt Tom Jarvis 4-1 (11-9, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8)

Preliminary round 3

Drinkhall bt Darko Jorgic (SLO) 4-3 (11-7, 5-11,6-11 8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-5)

Men’s Doubles

Preliminary round 1

Par Gerell (SWE) & Jens Lundqvist bt Drinkhall & Walker 3-2 (11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 11-13, 12-10)

Jarvis & Pitchford bt Jesus Cantero (ESP) & Carlos Machado 3-0 (11-7, 11-6, 11-8)

Preliminary round 2

Jarvis & Pitchford bt Tamas Lakatos (HUN) & Leonardo Mutti (ITA) 3-1 (7-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-9)

Mixed Doubles

Alexander Shibaev (RUS) & Polina Mikhailova (RUS) bt Jarvis & Charlotte Carey 3-0 (11-4, 11-9, 13-11)