The men’s singles 60 to 64 years podium (Photo: courtesy of Istvan Bajdik)
by Ian Marshall, Editor
Staged in Balatonfüred, a popular Hungarian resort on the banks of Late Balaton, a total of 156 players from five countries competed in 17 events in the recent XIV Tibhar Cup.
The host nation’s Krisztina Spengler emerged the most successful player on duty, she secured a full house of available titles.
She won Women’s Singles 40 to 49 years, in addition to partnering colleague Andrea Turner to victory in Women’s Doubles 49 years and Joszef Nyiro to Mixed Doubles gold..
Undoubtedly the efforts of Krisztina Spengler attracted the attention as did one player who did not gain a podium finish. At 93 years of age, Austria’s Margit Schieder, was the most senior competitor.
The medallists in Men’s Doubles 50 to 59 years (left) and (right) 60 to 69 years, Ferenc Karsai (far left) is the presenter. (Photo: courtesy of Istvan Bajdik)
Noteworthy names and there were more. Present was Hungary’s Bela Frank, winner of Men’s Singles 60 to 64 tears at the 2018 World Veteran Championships in Las Vegas, the previous month. He won the same age group in Balatonfüred.
Furthermore, he was a Men’s Doubles 60 to 69 years bronze medallist in partnership with colleague Akos Horvath, as was another notable name. In the same event, former Hungarian international, Karoly Nemeth, also had to settle for the third step of the podium; he partnered Aladar Peter. In addition Karloy Nemeth was the bronze medallist in Men’s Singles 65 to 69 years.
Notable names and one more catches my eye from the 1980s and early 1990s; partnering Hungarian colleagues, Miklos Somosi was the runner in partnership with Peter Aranyosi, more usually on coaching duties, in the Men’s Doubles 50 to 59 years; in addition to gaining the same finish in the Mixed Doubles with Csilla Szabo.
The podium for Women’s Doubles 40 years and Over (left) and (right) Men’s Singles 70 to 74 years. The presenter (far left) in Ferenc Karsai (Photo courtesy of Istvan Badjik)
The Tibhar Cup winner based on the results gained overall was the host nation’s Dr Katalin Belafine; the presentations were made by the host nation’s Ference Karsai, the man who in 2003 guided Austria’s Werner Schlager to the Men’s Singles title at the Liebherr World Championships in Paris.
Roll of Honour
Women’s Singles 40-49 Years
1. SPENGLER Krisztina (HUN) 2. BECK Szilvia (HUN) 3. SZABO Csilla (HUN) & HORVATH Eniko (HUN)
Women’s Singles 50 Years and Over
1. TURNER Andrea (HUN) 2. SCHNEIDERNE, MAHLI Ibolya (HUN) 3. LAJOS Tiborne (HUN) & BEKE Erika (HUN)
Women’s Doubles 40 Years and Over
1. SPENGLER Krisztina / TURNER Andrea (HUN) 2. HORVATH Eszter / BAKSA Ivett (HUN) 3. BECK Szilvia, BEKE Erika (HUN) & BELAFINE Dr. BAKO Katalin / GARAI Piroska (HUN)
Men’s Singles 40-49 Years
1. DOHNAL Gabor (HUN) 2. OROSZKI Viktor (HUN) 3. BARABAS Balazs (HUN) & KUDLIK Gabor (HUN)
Men’s Singles 50-59 Years
1. NAGY Miklós (HUN) 2. MAZUCH Stefan (SVK) 3. CVECKO Daniel (SVK) & ZOMBOR Istvan (HUN)
Men’s Singles 40-59 Consolation
1. SZANTO Gyula (HUN) 2. KOVACS Sandor (HUN) 3. TOTH Sandor (HUN) / DOHOCZKI Tamas (HUN)
Men’s Singles 60-64 Years
1. FRANK Bela (HUN) 2. VRTAL OLdrich (CZE) 3. GALUS Peter (SVK) & DUDASIK Janos (SVK)
Men’s Singles 65-69 Years
1. PETER Aladar (HUN) 2. BALOGH Jozsef (HUN) 3. NEMETH Karoly (HUN) & SZOMBATHY Sandor (HUN)
Men’s Singles 70-74 Years
1. SZALAI Istvan (HUN) 2. WEINSTOCK William (ISR) 3. Dr. BATORFI Istvan (HUN) & ZACHER Gizella (HUN)
Men’s Singles 75 & Over
1.KALLA Tibor (HUN) 2.KEPES Laszlo (HUN) 3.SCHWARA Laszlo (HUN) & NAGY Kalman (HUN)
Men’s Singles 60+ Consolation:
1.SEBESTYEN Robert (HUN) 2.KELEMEN Jozsef (HUN) 3.NEMETH Ferenc (HUN) & SCHWEIGER Andras (SVK)
Men’s Doubles 40-49 Years
1. ORBAN Zsolt / BALINT Csaba (HUN) 2. NAGY Miklos / POLOVICS Robert (HUN) 3. NYIRO Jozsef / DOHNAL Gabor (HUN) & KOVACS Sandor / TOTH Sandor (HUN)
Men’s Doubles 50-59 Years
1. BEGALA Marian / CVECKO Daniel (SVK) 2. ARANYOSI Peter / SOMOSI Miklos (HUN)
3. MAZUCH Stefan / SLANINKA Miro (SVK) & MEHES Gabor / NAGY Geza (HUN)
Men’s Doubles 60-69 Years
1. DUDASIK Janos / GALUS Peter (SVK) 2. MARFOLDI Istvan / KOPASZ Tibor (HUN) 3. FRANK Bela / Dr. HEGEDUS Laszlo (HUN) & NEMETH Karoly / PETER Aladar (HUN)
Men’s Doubles 70 & Over
1. WEINSTOCK William / ZACHER Gizella (ISR / HUN) 2. Dr. BATORFI Istvan / SZALAI Istvan (HUN) 3. NEMETH Elemer / Dr. HORVATH Akos (HUN) & KELEMEN Jozsef / ANTAL Zoltan (HUN)
Men’s Doubles 40 Years & Over Consolation
1. DOHOCZKI Tamas / SZANTO Gyula (HUN) 2. KARDOS Gyula / TOROK Istvan (HUN) 3. HOROVITZ Tamas / FORIAN Albert (HUN) & KOVACS Janos / BALATON Ferenc (HUN)
Mixed Doubles
1. SPENGLER Krisztina / NYIRO Jozsef (HUN) 2. SZABO Csilla, SOMOSI Miklos (HUN) 3. TURNER Andrea / KALLAI Norbert (HUN) & HORVATH Eniko / TAKACS Zoltan (HUN)