Li Fen of Sweden, European champion in 2013, progressed to the main draw ©ITTF

Past winners Ruta Paskauskiene of Lithuania and Sweden's Li Fen secured their place in the main draw of the women's singles event as the qualification phase at the European Table Tennis Championships drew to a close in Alicante.

Both players topped their respective groups in contrasting fashion to ensure they got the chance to relive past glories at the Pabellón Pedro Ferrándiz.

Paskauskiene, European champion in 2008, squeezed through to the main draw by virtue of games ratio.

The Lithuanian player was beaten 11-7, 7-11, 15-13, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9 by 17-year-old Russian Mariia Tailakova, the highest ranked player in the group.

But she qualified ahead of Tailakova and Turkey's Sibel Altinkaya on the tie-breaker rule.

Truls Moregard caused a huge upset in the men's tournament ©ITTF
Truls Moregard caused a huge upset in the men's tournament ©ITTF

Li, who clinched the European women's title in 2013, cruised through as she retained her unbeaten record with a 11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7 victory over Czech Republic’s Karin Adamkova.

In the men's tournament, England's Paul Drinkhall - the second highest-ranked player competing in qualification - was on the end of a shock 11-8, 11-7, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9 defeat to 16-year-old Swedish star Truls Moregard.

The win meant first place in the group for the Swedish teenager and with it a place in the next round.

Drinkhall is consigned to the preliminary round for the 18 players who finished in second place in their group.

Action in the Spanish city continues tomorrow.