Paisley para table tennis star Martin Perry endured a painful start to the 2022 season after suffering a quarter-final defeat against nemesis Esteban Herrault.
Competing at the Costa Brava Spanish Para Open in Platja d’Aro, in the group stage of the men’s class 6 event, Perry started with a comfortable 3-0 win against Mario Bastardo – a 19-year-old from Portugal who was making his international debut.
He then faced old rival Kazuki Shichino from Japan, the 23-year-old who defeated Perry last year to end his dreams of competing in Tokyo at the Paralympic Games.
The Scotsman had avenged that defeat in the French Open last November, but it was Shichino who had the edge this time around by gaining a hard-fought 3-1 win.
Despite the defeat Perry took second place in the group and went through to the quarter-finals where he faced another familiar rival Herrault, who beat Perry on his way to winning gold in both Spain and France last year.
Perry had chances to win the first set, before the Frenchman just edged it 14-12. The Paisley player fought back well to take the second 11-7, but Herrault eventually proved just too strong in an eventual 3-1 win.
Posting on social media, Perry said: “Frustrated and disappointed, really disappointed, to lose 3-1 in the quarter-final out here in the Spanish Open.
“It’s been a while since I’ve come home without a medal, and that hurts. Back to the drawing board now.”
