A lot was on offer at the inaugural edition of Ultimate Table Tennis, which concluded with Falcons TTC’s win over Shaze Challengers in the final on Sunday. Even as the never-before-seen league-format in the sport brought together Indian and foreign players on the same platform, it also presented a few facets of table tennis that not many knew about.

One such facet was the addition of Polish player Natalia Partyka as a reserve player in the tournament. Partyka was born with just one arm, and has gone on to be a competent participant across both the able-bodied and differently abled categories of the sport.

Ordinary is as ordinary does

Play

Not that she personally considers herself to be extraordinary in playing her profession. Then, it was perhaps for this reason why the 28-year-old opened up to The Field by sharing, “From the beginning I was playing both. I was playing able-bodied [table tennis tournaments], but at the same time I was playing with differently abled [players].”

Doing so, she reckoned, gave her parity among her colleagues unlike any other. Over time, her presence in both table tennis circuits also removed any surprises her colleagues may have had about her as a contender.

“[The] rules [are same] for everybody so I cannot complain,” said Partyka, who balances the ball on the crook of her right elbow before serving it to her opponent. “It wasn’t difficult as I took the racquet to the left hand and took the ball to the right. So, I just played.”

She added, “During the match, nobody is thinking about this [my playing style]. Everybody wants to win and my opponent is the same as I am. And this is nothing for the players because they already know me for many years. In the beginning, they were surprised. But now, I am the same as others.”

When competing matters, beyond results

Alongside being accepted and recognised as a competitor and as one among the rest, Partyka also observed that saddling both sides of the sport also gave her a unique exposure compared to her fellow professionals. “I am lucky that I get to play both. It was great experience from the beginning, because I could learn from both sides. And, both sides showed me that I could achieve a lot.”

Achievement is then what the world No 63 has in spades. She has won four gold medals at the Paralympic Games, going back to the Sydney 2000, where she was the youngest participant. In addition, she has also won medals in the team events at the 2008 Beijing Games, the 2012 London Games and the 2016 Rio Games.

When asked to talk about these successes of hers, Partyka, however, took on quite a matter-of-fact tone to describe her past laurels. “I wanted to be a good player and that was the only thing I was thinking about. So I just wanted to be the same as my able-bodied friends,” she said.

“I just believed that it was possible,” she added. “I knew that it would be tough, but I knew that many things depended on me. So, I knew that sometimes I needed to hit harder, but I think I am showing that it is possible.”

Given that it was how Partyka had made a foray into table tennis as a seven-year-old being inspired by her elder sister to take up the sport, her journey then looks to have come a complete circle with self-belief overriding every initial hurdle. It’s when Partyka regaled about her competing – and beating – her sister, albeit in a practice match that the enormity of what she represents in the sporting world, struck through the most. Not just to the audiences watching at large, but also to herself as a player.