ANNA Tarkowski did not let the fact she was born with no legs get in the way of her sporting ambition.

And the sports-mad 16-year-old has now shot to the top of disabled women's tennis.

She had an unexpected call-up to play for the Great Britain women's senior team in Holland and now hopes to play for them again.

Though she lost her debut matches, the tennis player hopes she will be called up to play for the senior team in the future.

And she has been hailed an inspiration by her peers after her battle to overcome her disability to play the sport she loves.

She suffered a congenital condition when she was born and has worn artificial limbs from the age of one.

But she plays tennis in a wheelchair.

Thornleigh Salesian College pupil Anna had always wanted to play tennis since she was a little girl and her dream became a reality when she took part in a tennis training camp in Nottingham four years ago.

Her rise to top accelerated when she started playing the game at Bolton Arena and continued to have lessons at the David Lloyd tennis centre with coach Simon Pearson.

Anna plays tennis in a specially customised lightweight sports wheelchair, designed for speed around the court.

Anna, of Astley Bridge, said: "My disability has never really bothered me.

"It's never been a barrier to do what I want to do.

"I've always loved watching sports and I wanted to play tennis from an early age.

"I've always been determined to play and since I started, I have loved every minute.

"It is a great way of having fun and meeting people."

Her mother, Philomena Tarkowski, said: "Anna is a gritty and determined person, she has always been quite competitive.

"The disability has never entered into her head.

"It has never stopped Anna doing the things she likes to do."

Anna had been selected to play for the junior girls team but answered an emergency call from the Great Britain senior women's team to step up and play in the 32-country tournament.

She played against the Chinese in singles and doubles matches which she lost 6-2, 6-1, and 6-3, 6-2 respectively.

But Anna said she left delighted with the whole experience and now cannot wait to represent Great Britain in future tournaments.

She said: "I never expected to play for the women's team but when a few of the senior women dropped out, they asked some of the junior girls to play, and I stepped in. It was a fabulous experience.

"To play for Great Britain is one of my proudest moments pulling on the national team tracksuit is something else.

"I got to meet a lot of new people and to take part in my first overseas tournament was really exciting."

Now Anna, who has just taken her GCSEs and plans to study for her A-levels in September, has set her sights on a place at the 2012 Paralympics.

She said: "I just want to continue to get better, play in more tournaments and improve my game. I've got many years ahead of me so I hope to do as well as I can."