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Bhavina Patel, a para array tennis icon, seldom offers praise without reason. When she did truthful astatine the 3rd National-ranking para array tennis tourney astatine IIT Madras connected Saturday, it displayed a wide displacement successful however para athletics is being valued successful India.
According to the Tokyo Paralympics metallic medallist what the tourney organisers — Rotary Chennai Patna successful collaboration with IIT Madras nether the aegis of the Tamil Nadu Table Tennis Association — person done for the athletics volition spell a agelong mode successful helping sportspersons.
“There are respective bully initiatives announced here,” Bhavina said connected the sidelines of the event. “Winners successful the wheelchair class volition person wheelchairs on with medals, and determination are charismatic currency prizes for winners crossed each classes, among respective different incentives. This benignant of enactment is truly encouraging. IIT Madras and Rotary merit afloat credit.”
At 39, Bhavina — a erstwhile World No. 1 and presently ranked 3 successful Class 4 — is competing successful Chennai for the archetypal time. The lawsuit besides marks her instrumentality to competitory enactment this play aft recovering from a meniscus teardrop successful her near knee, sustained up of the Asian Championships successful October past year.
India’s apical para array tennis subordinate Bhavina Patel. | Photo Credit: R. Ravindran
Following surgery, she skipped the archetypal 2 home tournaments to guarantee afloat recovery.
Asked astir opening a caller season, Bhavina responded successful her trademark understated manner. “I conscionable play,” she said.
Bhavina has planned an extended overseas docket this year. “In India, we don’t get to look galore players with antithetic styles,” she said. “That’s wherefore I program to play astir 12 planetary tournaments, competing successful singles and mixed doubles with Jashvant Choudhary. International vulnerability brings variation, which is important astatine the apical level.”
The twelvemonth 2026 volition beryllium pivotal, featuring the Asian Para Games successful Aichi–Nagoya, Japan (October 18–24), followed by the World Championships successful Pattaya, Thailand (November 23–29). “Both tournaments are highly important,” Bhavina said. “We are acceptable for that challenge.”
She traced her emergence to World No.1 past twelvemonth successful combined Classes 1–5 to the information drawn from her quarterfinal nonaccomplishment astatine the 2024 Paris Paralympics. The pursuing play proved her resolve, arsenic she won 13 planetary medals.
Looking ahead, Bhavina called for a nonrecreational league for para athletes connected the lines of the Ultimate Table Tennis League, describing specified a level arsenic a imaginable game-changer for Paralympians.
