The Swiss player trailed 3-1 in her clash with Magdalena Sikorska of Poland before she won three straight games to seal a dramatic 4-11, 12-10, 7-11, 3-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-5 triumph.

The victory earned her a second win of the qualification stage after she beat Belgium’s Marie Maesen 4-0 on the opening day of competition.

Sikorska also overcame the home player to set up a decider with Aschwanden and she wasted her opportunity to progress by squandering a healthy advantage.

Aschwanden’s reward for booking her place in the main draw of the ITTF World Tour event is a meeting with Romanian Elizabeta Samara, a three-time European champion.

Rachel Moret, also of Switzerland, joined her compatriot in the next round with a 18-20, 12-10, 10-12, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9 success against Belgium’s Nathalie Marchetti.

Hungary’s Georgina Póta awaits for Moret in the main draw.

Elsewhere, Russia’s Mariia Tailakova took top spot in group 15 as she prevailed from a winner-takes-all contest against Laura Pfefer of France on the right side of a 10-12, 11-6, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-9 scoreline.

“I am very happy, it’s the first time that I reach the main draw of a World Tour event,” the Russian said.

“Against Pfefer from France it was difficult, but I was able to find the good rhythm at the right moment.

“My goal is reached now there no pressure for the main draw anymore.”

In the men’s singles tournament, the Belgian crowd finally had something to cheer as Jasper Merckx overcame Claus Nielsen of Denmark 12-10, 11-7, 11-6, 3-11, 5-11, 11-5.

The result guaranteed his spot in the main draw, which gets underway tomorrow, as he will go up against Mikhail Paikov of Russia.

The hosts had earlier suffered disappointment when Irvin Bertrand of France beat Thibaut Darcis 11-5, 11-3, 7-11, 11-6, 12-10 to set up a meeting with Russia’s Vasily Lekeev.

Omar Assar of Egypt is the number one seed in the men’s event and he will begin his pursuit of a third ITTF World Tour crown against Alfredas Udra of Lithuania.