For two days, dozens of doctors from various specialties from all over the country gathered at the tennis courts in Kaylaka National Park to compete and demonstrate how they successfully combine professionalism in their medical field with their love of tennis. The competition was extremely fierce, and the finals were exciting, worthy of world championships. The tournament attracted great interest from patients and residents of Pleven, who came to support their favorite doctors.
The court hosted individual tournaments, men’s doubles tournaments, and mixed doubles tournaments. The winners received trophies and certificates. The most attractive games were the mixed doubles, with Dr. Borislava Ninova, a doctor at the cardiology clinic at “Heart and Brain,” and her husband, Dr. Encho Ninov, reaching the final against Dr. Ivaylo Krachunov and Denitsa Slavcheva. Krachunov and Slavcheva won the cup. In the men’s doubles, the winners were Prof. Kaloyan Georgiev and Dr. Dragomir Dimitrov from Varna, and the finalists were Prof. Krasimir Minkov from Sofia and Dr. Ivaylo Tsonov from England. In the singles, Dr. Stefan Kostadinov, a neurosurgeon from Heart and Brain, and Dr. Ivaylo Krachunov, a dentist from Pleven, reached the finals. After a long, competitive, and tense match, Dr. Krachunov won the grand prize.
The event is dedicated to World Heart Day, which is celebrated on September 29. According to cardiologists, tennis is the sport that has the most beneficial effect on the heart and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity, and stress. The game is a comprehensive workout for the muscles of the whole body, the heart, and the mind.
The sporting event gave doctors and their patients the opportunity to discuss the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, physical activity, regular prevention, and adherence to prescribed therapies in an informal setting.
For nearly two decades, the Bulgarian Cardiology Institute has regularly held open days, patient schools, and external examinations and consultations by medical specialists in small and hard-to-reach communities.
“This year, we decided to mark World Heart Day in a more unusual way, by setting a personal example of an active lifestyle. The idea is for the tournament to become a tradition,” said Prof. Viliyan Platikanov, head of the anaesthesiology and intensive care clinic at Heart and Brain, on whose initiative the event was held.
