Against the odds there was success for visitors from foreign shores on the second day of play, Friday 20th May, at the Al-Watani Para Championships 2022 in Amman.
Egypt’s Muntadher Al-Sarraji, and Ehab Fetir emerged successful contrary to expectations as did India’s Mio Wagner and Bhavina Patel, but pride of place went to the host nation, the man of the moment was Jordan’s Osama Abu Jame.
The 32-year-old from Zarqa secured the men’s singles class 2-3 title, at the final hurdle rising to the occasion to beat Germany’s top seeded Jan Guertler (11-7, 11-9, 11-6).
Likewise, in title deciding duels, the clash of colleagues resulted in the unexpected; the leading name having to settle for silver.
Competing in the men’s singles; in class 4 Muntadher Al-Sarraji beat Mohamed Eid Saleh (11-8, 11-8, 7-11, 8-11, 11-6), in class 5 Ehab Fetir overcame Hassan Tolba (11-3, 11-8, 11-2).
Success against the odds for Egypt and Jordan; also, in the men’s singles it was the same for Germany.
In class 10, Mio Wagner finished ahead of Iraq’s Abdulrahman Shafeeg, the top seed, with India’s Yogesh Chauhan in third place ahead of Jordan’s Nasser Assaf.
Surprise outcomes and in the only women’s singles event to be decided on the penultimate day it was technically the same.
Present in class 4, Bhavina Patel prevailed; at the final hurdle she accounted for Turkey’s Irem Oluk (13-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-1) a player very much in form. At the semi-final stage she had ended the progress of Germany’s Sandra Mikolaschek, the top seed (6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 11-6).
An upset, not in real terms; at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, plying her skills in the same category, Bhavina Patel was a silver medallst.
Otherwise, as the men’s singles events concluded, it was success for the most prominent names.
Frenchman Alan Papirer (class 1), Germany’s Benedikt Müller (class 6), Egypt’s Sayed Youssef (class 7) and Malaysia’s Chee Chao Ming (class 8-9) all justified their exalted status.
Play concludes in Amman on Saturday 21st May.
