The court is open for returning Polish star Natalia Partyka.

The table tennis player comes to her third Paralympics after her Olympic debut at the recent Beijing Games.

Partyka impressed sports fans at the Beijing Olympics in her game against world No 10 Tie Yana, who plays for Hong Kong. She took Tie to a fifth deciding round before being eliminated from the competition.

The 19-year-old is the first disabled table tennis player to take part in an able-bodied Olympics. One of only two disabled athletes to compete in the Olympics and Paralympics, her swift sweeps and dangerous topspin easily make her able-bodied opponents forget she only plays with one good arm.

The left-handed player will defend her singles title from Athens at the Beijing Paralympics; and she'll try to see her team does one better than the silver last time.

Hailed as one of Europe's most talented young athletes, Partyka was born without her right hand and forearm but she hasn't let her disability stop her from being on top of her game. She serves by resting the ball on a nook just below her elbow, and despite only having one good arm, manages to keep her body effortlessly balanced behind the net.

Her sporting career has already seen several successes with a number of junior and world title wins. She won two gold at the 2004 European Championships for Cadets.

She picked up three more gold at the 2006 European Paralympic Championships, as well as a gold and two silver at the International Paralympic Committee's Table Tennis World Championships for Disabled.

She also has a silver from the team event at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) European Junior Championship and two silver and a bronze from the 2007 series of the competition.

In 2007, she added three more gold to her collection at the European Paralympic Championships, and a bronze at the ITTF World Junior Team Championships.

Her biggest career highlight came in February, when she beat world No 6 Li Jiawei of Singapore at the World Championships in Guangzhou. If she keeps up with strong-arm plays like this, she may become a serious contender for both the Olympic and Paralympic podium at the 2012 London Games.

(China Daily September 7, 2008)