Brecon’s Rob Davies has won bronze at the ITTF World Para Challenger tournament in Lasko, Slovenia, after reaching the men’s class one semi-finals in a high-quality field.

The European champion opened his campaign with a comfortable 3-0 victory over former two-time Para Pan American champion Victor Eduardo Reyes Turcio of Mexico.

Davies then defeated long-time rival Endre Major of Hungary 3-1, gaining revenge for his defeat to the Hungarian in the 2023 European final, before sealing top spot in his group with a 3-0 win against former European bronze medallist Silvio Keller of Switzerland.

The 41-year-old progressed directly to the semi-finals, where he faced Italy’s Federico Falco, the Paralympic bronze medallist whom Davies beat in last November’s European Championship final.

However, Davies was unable to reproduce his earlier form and lost 3-0 to Falco, settling for bronze.

“He’s a very good player but at the end of the day I didn’t really turn up today,” said Davies.

“I didn’t get in the right place mentally somehow and I didn’t feel right before the match. I normally try and change that there and then, but I couldn’t and it was just hard to get going. I played so well all week and to play like that in the semi-final is just really disappointing. I’ve got another chance next week so hopefully I can make the result the opposite next time.”

Davies, a Paralympic, world and European medallist, is aiming to secure his place in the British Para table tennis squad for this year’s World Championships in November.