Reigning champions, winners of the most celebrated tournaments the sport has to offer, Australias Yang Qiang, alongside Germanys Valentin Baus and Belgiums Laurens Devos spearhead a high-class entry for the 2024 ITTF Montenegro Para Open.

A four-day tournament, play commences in the countrys capital city of Podgorica on Wednesday 1st May.

All enjoyed success at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, the same two years later at the Andalucia 2022 World Para Championships, Valentin Baus in mens singles class 5, Laurens Devos in mens singles class 9, Yang Qian in womens singles class 10.

More recently in 2023, Valentin Baus and Laurens Devos struck gold at the European Para Championships, Yang Qian at the Oceania Para Championships.

Similarly, the names of Lei Lina and Ma Lin appear on the Australian list.

Commencing in 2002, on three occasions, Lei Lina has struck gold in womens singles class 9 at both the World Para Championships and Paralympic Games; from the same year, on duty in mens singles class 9, Ma Lin has been crowned World champion three times, gold medallist once, the occasion the Paralympic Games in 2012.

Success at the highest level, competing at as an independent athlete, in womens singles class 11, Elena Prokofeva has all three to her name. She won gold the 2018 World Para Championships, one year later repeated the feat at the European Para Championships before emerging the winner at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Adding to the list, the name of Korea Republics Joo Youngdae appears; the mens singles class 1 winner in Tokyo and last year at the Asian Games. Additionally at the 2022 World Championships, he concluded matters a silver medallist.

Imposing names, turning back the clock, Tahl Leibovoitz, who won mens singles class 7 at the 1996 Paralympic Games, competes as does Slovakias Jan Riapos, Norways Tommy Urhaug and Frenchman Stéphane Messi.

Present in mens singles class 2, Jan Riapos struck gold at the 2004 and 2012 Paralympic Games. In 2004 Stéphane Messi won mens singles class 7, in 2012 Tommy Urhaug secured the mens singles class 5 title.

Furthermore, Tommy Urhaug is currently in good form; earlier this year, he won in both Astana and Poland.

Gold in Poland for Tommy Urhaug, it was the same for Croatias Andela Muzinic Vincetic, successful one year ago in womens singles class 3, she defends her title in Podgorica.

Also, in good form and on duty in Montenegro appear the names of Chiles Luis Bustamente, Jenson van Emburgh of the United States and Germanys Sandra Mikolaschek.

All have made fine starts to the year, Luis Bustamente won mens singles class 2 in both Brazil and Kazakhstan, Jenson van Emburgh prevailed in mens singles class 3 in the United States and in Costa Rica, Sandra Mikolaschek, a class 4 athlete, secured womens singles titles in Egypt, Italy and Poland.

Notable names from foreign shores, for the host nation, eyes focus on Flip Radovic, mens singles bronze medallist at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, he defends his mens singles class 10 title won one year ago.

Overall, 149 men and 57 women, representing 32 ITTF member associations, are scheduled to be present in Podgorica; of the total number, 16 players compete as independent athletes.

Play commences with the mens singles and womens singles events.