The Engie Open de Touraine returns for its 16th edition from February 26 until March 5. A women’s springboard tournament on the high-flying plateau.
In 2022, Magali Kempen won by creating a surprise. What regarding in 2023? The 16th edition of the Engie Open de Touraine starts this Sunday, February 26 in Joué-lès-Tours. This is an anniversary edition, since it is the 25th women’s international organized by TC Jocondien.
The tournament advances with the ambition to rise a little more, with the objective of evolving in the higher category compared to that of the 25,000 dollars to which it belongs. “We relaunched this Open in 2022, following a few years of break, it had been a success. We then thought regarding the idea of going to $60,000, the next step, by surveying our partners and institutions, but we realized quite quickly that it would not be possible”, said the director, Françoise Giblet, at a press conference. Another way, for 2024, seems open. “But since then another category has been created, at $40,000. There, it is a more accessible gap. You have to strike while the iron is hot, because evolution is not utopian. The organization would be similar and that would make it possible to have a much better table”explains the director.
Three players from the top 200 at the rendezvous
Three players from the top 200 are present this year unlike last year when there were none. Defending champion Magali Kempen is absent. Thus, Jessika Ponchet (170th and seeded number 1), the German Katharina Hobgarski (195th) and Séléna Janicijevic (198th) are favorites. Françoise Giblet believes that the tricolor seeded number 3 can thwart the predictions. “It has made remarkable progress in 2022, gaining more than 400 places. She also just qualified for the Australian Open. There are not many French women who do it”, she points out. The former 39th world Fiona Ferro (476th) has also announced her participation. The Engie Open de Touraine wishes to keep the identity of a “tournament for the top players of tomorrow”. Since 1995, five world number 1 players have played on the Joué courts, including Justine Hénin and Simona Halep.
