Anna Hursey of Wales (pictured) is the rare table tennis player familiar to non-players. While the 15-year-old is steadily rising in the rankings, the world #575 is best known among the laity for her activism combatting climate change. When Hursey is not busy working with the UN and President Joe Biden to literally save the world, she still finds time to keep her day job at the table. The current action item on Hursey's table tennis agenda is the 2020 ITTF European Championships in Warsaw, the name reflecting its postponement due to the pandemic. Hursey journeyed to Poland to vie for the first continental championship, normally held biennially, since 2018. The youngest player on duty at the tournament, Hursey was also seeded last in her qualifying group behind world #120 Maria Yovkova of Bulgaria and #390 Prithika Pavade of France. Pavade's relatively modest world ranking belies the fact that she has been unbeatable of late. Only one year Hursey's senior at 16, Pavade earned Olympic qualification in April 2020 European Olympic Singles Qualification Tournament at the Guimarães, Portugal. Incredibly, Pavade entered the EC2020 undefeated in international competition this year. First things first, though. Hursey was up first in what would normally be an easy warm-up match for the top seed, Maria Yovkova. Hursey had different ideas, however, and upset Yovkova in straight sets, (11-3, 11-8, 11-6). With two guaranteed to advance from the group of three, Hursey was already playing with house money. This was not the case for the 22-year-old Yovkova, however, already saddled with one loss and threatened with elimination by another talented teen. Whether sensing weakness or merely exhibiting strength, as per personal custom, Pavade overcame Yovkova in four games, sending the top seed packing. This left the clash of the teen titans, Hursey and Pavade. Both having already guaranteed advancement, the only matter left to settle was the order of finish, with implications for seeding in the main draw. Hursey stated her case for primacy with two efficient 11-7 wins. Pavade, her perfect year in peril, fought back to win the third, 11-8, only to see Hursey summarily extinguish her comeback, 11-6 in the fourth. "It is incredible," said the victorious Hursey. "Pavade is very strong player and she will also play at the Olympics. I had problem with her service game, but in the rallies I was better." While Prithika Pavade has been the hottest player on Earth, she was no match for the young Welsh eco-warrior. While it is a big upset on paper, the outcome really should be no big surprise. After all, Hursey is an expert on fighting global warming.

More at ETTU