Wales TT Star Anna Hursey Stuns Favourite To Be Crowned Youth Contender Champ In Portugal

By Ian Gordon

Anna Hursey underlined her status as one of Europe’s top young players by winning the inaugural WTT Youth Contender event in Portugal.

The 14-year-old triumphed in the U17 girls singles after a thrilling 3-2 victory over 16-year-old title favourite Elena Zaharia in Vila Real.

Hursey, who has also reached Monday’s knock-out stages of the U15 girls where she is ranked No 1 in Europe, won the last four points to take the decider 12-10.

The Romanian is ranked 10 in the world at U17 level – 15 places ahead of Hursey.

“I’m very happy that I won. I was super nervous. But I tried and managed not to show that,” said Hursey.

“There were many upsets in this competition as a lot of high-level players and high seeded ones went out quite early. I had a very though match against Mia Griesel at the semi-finals but I managed to go through that.”

Hursey had won the opening two games before Zaharia fought back to level and looked poised to clinch the title at 10-8 in the fifth game, but Hursey kept her cool to celebrate a famous victory.

That reloop at 10-10! Amazing performance @annaLhursey You have done everyone proud winning the u17 singles in Portugal @walesTT @sportwales .@Joshmorgan18 @ttmattporter @TeesSport1 #WTTVillareal @ittfworld

— Stephen Jenkins (@sjenkinsTT) May 16, 2021

Hursey won the opening two games, but after Zaharia took the match into a decider the Welsh TT ace took the fifth game 12-10.

In the semi-finals she beat Germany’s Griesel 3-2 having again won the opening two games having beaten Belgium’s Julia van Hauwaert 3-0 in the last eight tie.

Earlier in the day, Hursey won both her group matches in the U15 girls – beating Uzbekistan’s Dilyora and Michaela Bitoova without dropping a game.

Hursey had reached the knock-out stages of the U17 girls on Saturday when she beat German’s Annett Kaufmann, the European Top 10 champion, in the last 16 round.