The full house, the maximum possible three titles to their names, India’s Bhavina Hasmukbhai Patel, Romania’s Ioana-Monica Tepelea and Lucie Hautière from France emerged the most successful players on duty at the 2023 Egypt Para Open, play concluding in Giza on Monday 27th February.
A somewhat surprise silver medallist at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games; Bhavina Hasmukbhai Patel underlined her quality. She secured the women’s singles class 3-5 title beating Sonalben Manubhai Patel in an all-Indian final (13-11, 11-6, 13-11), the player with whom later she was to win women’s doubles class 10.
Concluding matters, Bhavina Hasmukbhai Patel partnered Jashyant Dalsangbhai Chaudhary to gold in mixed doubles class 10; a feat emulated by Sonalben Manubhai Patel. She allied with Ramesh Vajabhai Chaudhary to reserve the mixed doubles class 7 top prize.
Imposing performances, it was no different from Ioana-Monica Tepelea, who claimed her first women’s singles title at an open international tournament, and for Lucie Hautière, the 2022 women’s singles class 8 winner.
On the concluding day of play, they combined to win women’s doubles class 20, after earlier enjoying mixed doubles success. Competing in group organised events, in class 17, Lucie Hautière prevailed in harness with compatriot Lucas Didier, Ioana-Monica Tepelea alongside Japan’s Arufuahirokazu Tateishi. One day earlier in the women’s singles, Lucie Hautière had won class 8, Ioana-Monica Tepelea, class 9-10.