Megan Shackleton started her Paralympic table tennis singles campaign with a 3-0 win against Ghaliah Alanazi from Saudi Arabia to book a quarter final clash with number one seed Borislava Peric-Rankovic.

After taking the first two sets 11-4 11-5, The Todmorden star showed her fighting qualities in the third before taking it 11-9 to seal victory.

“I was looking forward to getting out there again after my doubles,” said Shackleton who lost in the last 16 of the mixed doubles with Thomas Matthews. “This is my first event ever playing straight knockout so I was a little bit nervous going into it but I was really proud of how I managed to commit to my game and start as I mean to go on.”

Shackleton is prepared to face former World and Paralympic champion Peric-Rankovic who she narrowly lost to the Slovenia Open in May.

“That gives me good confidence going into the match,” added the 24-year-old. “I showed in Slovenia that I’m right up there with her and I think on the day I demonstrated that I could have maybe taken that match. Hopefully that is the case. She’s a great player and I’m well aware that I’m going to have to bring a really good game to the table but I’m excited. It’s my first quarter final at a Paralympic Games and I’m feeling in good shape.

“I feel the expectation because I believe I can get through the quarter finals. I’ve got a lot of respect for Peric and she’s a fantastic player so I know it will take a lot and I’ll have to bring my best game but I’m excited to get out there and fight for a medal.”

Burnley’s Fliss Pickard (women’s class 6), who won bronze in the women’s class 14 doubles with Bly Twomey, start their bids for singles medals tomorrow.