Paisley para table tennis star Martin Perry believes he’s proved he can battle with the best after picking up a bronze medal at the Slovenia Open.
The competition was held for the first time since 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic, attracting a top-class entry of more than 330 athletes from 39 countries - including Ukraine.
With all of the top para table tennis nations represented, with the exception of China, the tournament provided the toughest competition outside the World Championships this year and Perry only just missed out on a single’s final spot after being defeated by a former Paralympic champion.
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The Paisley class 6 competitor had not taken a set off Rungroj Thainiyom in seven previous meetings, and in the tough semi-final the world number three from Thailand took the first two sets comfortably.
But Perry has found a new level in Slovenia and he kept himself in the match with some great play, saving two match points at 10-8 down before taking the third set 12-10.
From 5-1 down in the fourth he fought his way back to 7-7, but the London 2012 Paralympic winner used all his experience to move ahead again and he took the set 11-7 and the match 3-1 when Perry put his return into the net.
“That is the closest I’ve ever taken him,” said Perry after the match.
“He is a previous Paralympic champion and world number three but I felt I was in the match.
“He took the first set quite easily but after that I felt it was quite tight and could have gone either way.
“Had I just got a better start in the fourth set it could have been different.
“From 5-1 down it went to 7-7, so I got a bit of momentum and if I had managed to clinch that set it could have been a different story.
“I’ve played pretty much all of the top 10 now and I feel like I can really compete with them and win which is the main thing.
“Obviously, I’m gutted to lose, but I have proved something to myself with the tournament I’ve had and the matches I’ve come through that have been tight and that is something that builds character and experience that I can use going forward.
“It’s been a good tournament for me and a lot of positives – the only negative was I didn’t make the final.”
Perry was in great form throughout the tournament, stepping up a level in the quarter-finals to beat Esteban Herrault - the 28-year-old Frenchman who had won their last three meetings.
Perry dropped the first set but came back strongly to win 3-1 and gain revenge by beating him to make the final four.
In the group stages Perry impressively beat world number seven Bobi Simion, European team silver medallist Georgios Mouchthis and two-time PanAmerican champion Matias Nicolas Pino Lorca.
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