Rio 2016 Paralympic champions Rob Davies came through a thrilling quarter-final yesterday to assure himself of a singles medal in the Paris Paralympics.
Brecon’s 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.
In the men’s class 1 quarter-final, Davies 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.”
Fellow GB competitor Will Bayley also won his respective men’s class 7 quarter=final against German, Bjoern Schnake.
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.”