by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

The second seeds, at the semi-final stage Merve Demir, Umran Ertis and Hilal Turkka had beaten the partnership comprising Hungary’s Bettina Bicsak and Russia’s Elena Epishkina; Xiong Guiyan, Liu Meng and Zhao Xiaojing had ousted colleagues Hou Chunxiao, Yu Hailian and Li Guiying.

Gold and silver for Xiong Guiyan, for colleague Gu Xiaodan and Turkey’s Kubra Korkut in the Women’s events it was more gold.

Gu Xiaodan, who had won Class 4, partnered compatriots Zhou Ying and Yang Zhonghui to success in Class 4-5; the top seeds, they accounted for Xue Juan, Li Qian and Chen Xin, likewise from China, by two matches to nil at the final hurdle.

Earlier at the semi-final stage they had overcome the combination of Sweden’s Anna-Carin Ahlqhuist and Israel’s Caroline Tabib, the second seeds, who had finished in runners up spot in their group one day earlier, having experienced a two-nil defeat at the hands of Xue Juan, Li Qian and Chen Xin.

A semi-final defeat for Anna-Carin Ahlquist but she could reflect on a very successful visit to Alicante, earlier she had won Women’s Singles Class 3; an event in which she had ended Chinese hopes. At the semi-final stage had beaten Yang Zhonghui (11-9, 11-6, 11-3), prior to overcoming Li Qian (12-10, 11-13, 13-11, 11-6) to claim the top prize.

Impressively, a second title for Gu Xiaodan, it was the same for Kubrat Korkut, the winner of Class 6-7 two days earlier.

Partnering China’s Wang Rui and occupying the top seeded position in the competition, in a group organised event, the pair finished ahead of Russia’s Diana Gilmanova and Fatma Fattakova with Maliak Alieva, also from Russia, finishing in third place alongside Poland’s Kararzyna Marszal.

2017 Spanish Para Open: Full results of individual and team competitions