Laurens Devos has to fight for it, but she will soon be competing for a new title | Games for people with special needs

After an impressive three-set match against American Leibovitz, Lawrence DeVos can look back on a good start to the Paralympics. “This is a good start,” DeVos then knew.

The match lasted only 16 minutes. “I didn’t time it, but it went really fast,” DeVos laughed after the match. “I prefer a short match over a long and exciting duel. At the beginning of the match I was very nervous.”

“Unlike Ryo, I’m the favourite this time. I felt it. It’s also a huge room here. It’s a pity that no audience is allowed in. I think the room would have been full otherwise. A real Japanese sport.”

The defending champion continued, “After I won the first set, I became more relaxed in the second set, and I play more relaxed.” “After that I can show my best in table tennis. In the third set it became exciting again, because Leibovitz hit some good balls. He is older and has a lot of experience. So you have to play more tactically, move more.”

Tomorrow Devos will meet Spanish Juan Perez Gonzalez (ITTF 8). Our compatriot knows “a tough opponent”. “But I like his game, it’s more offensive. I beat him in the semi-finals in Rio and never lost to him.”