Anna Bows Out In Thailand After Gutsy Displays

Anna Hursey underlined her potential after making it through to the last 16 of the Junior Girls and Cadet Girls at the Thailand Open in Bangkok.

The 12-year-old claimed the scalp of Malaysia’s 2018 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Karen Lyne in the Junior Girls.

Hursey’s victory set her up for the last 16 encounter on Sunday with France’s 13th seed Isa Cok who is four years older and seeded 23 places above her.

The Cardiff High School prospect took the first game against Cod, but her rival responded to reel off the next four to progress to the quarter-finals.

After beating India’s Suhana Saini in the Cadet Girls last 32 round, Hursey had an even tougher task in the Cadet Girls.

There Hursey – ranked 14 in the world – faces China’s No 2 seed and world No 2 Chen Yi.

Again, Wales’ table tennis sensation took the first game, but lost the next three to see her run in Thailand ended.

Chen went on to lose in the final to countrywoman and world No 1 Kuai Man.

But the displays – after a training camp with the world’s best youngsters in the Thai capital – sets her up for the European Youths Championships in the Czech republic in July.