Aruna dominated throughout, winning 11–5, 12–10, 11–8, 11–9, with superior control and relentless attacking play against his Egyptian opponent.

“I stayed focused from the first point and executed my game plan perfectly. Every match here is tough, so consistency is vital,” Aruna said.

The Nigerian maintained a high tempo, denying Badr rhythm and reinforcing his reputation as one of Africa’s leading table tennis players.

Algeria’s Stephanie Ouaiche also reached the semi-finals after defeating Cameroon’s Batix Ylane 4–0 in their Men’s Singles quarter-final encounter.

Ouaiche controlled rallies and capitalised on crucial points to seal an emphatic straight-sets victory.

“I felt confident and patient today. My aim is to keep improving as the tournament progresses,” Ouaiche said.

Egypt’s Omar Assar advanced after overpowering Tunisia’s Essid Wassim 4–0, winning 11–9, 11–9, 11–7, 11–7 in another quarter-final.

In the girls’ quarter-finals, Egypt’s Hana Goda defeated Algeria’s Jade Morice 4–0, while Dina Meshref also secured a straight-sets victory over Tunisia’s Ela Saidi.

Algeria’s Tania Morice beat Tunisia’s Haj Salah Abir 4–0 to book her place in the semi-finals of the competition.

The championship continues in Benghazi with highly anticipated semi-final matches scheduled at the venue.

Source: NAN

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Aruna, Nigeria’s top-ranked table tennis player, dominated the round of 16 encounter, winning the match in straight games, 11-3, 11-4, 11-3, 11-1, to underline his superiority on the table.

The victory keeps Aruna in contention for honours at the continental championship, as he continues his matches with a strong finish at the tournament.

Algeria’s Stephanie Ouaiche, edges Nigeria’s Olajide Omotayo 4-0 in the Men’s Singles round of 16 match.

Ouaiche, delivered a dominant performance to secure a straight-sets victory winning 11-6, 11-2, 11-4 and 11-8 .

The Algerian player controlled the tempo of the contest from the opening game, using sharp returns and consistent rallies to keep Omotayo under pressure.

The game saw Ouaiche advance to the quarter-finals of the competition while Omotayo bowed out in spite of showing resilience particularly in the fourth game.

In other round of 16 matches, Egypt’s Assar Omar overcome Banchat Marius of Morocco 4-0, 11-6, 11-2, 8-6, 11-6 while Essid wassim of Tunisia beat Salifou Abdel-kader of Benign (4-2) to reach the quarter-finals.

The tournament continues with more quarter-finals matches scheduled at the venue in Benghazi.

Source: NAN

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The tournament is taking place at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

Ojomu beat her compatriot Aiyelabegan in a thrilling 4-0 victory (11-7, 11-8, 11-5, 14-12) to secure the title.

The U.S.-based Ojomu said: “I’m excited but in a lot of pain. It’s really a mixed feeling for me.

“I’m the top-ranked female player here. Playing teammates is always hard because we often face each other on the national team.

“I’m grateful for this win. It’s been a long journey. Reaching the final three times without winning can be very disheartening.

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“At the last tournament in Togo, I reached the final but had to retire due to injury. It was heartbreaking.

“Today, I almost suffered the same fate. I felt the pain again, but I pushed through and I’m grateful.

“I thank God, the fans, and the African federation president for giving us a platform to show our talent.

“I also thank Lagos State and Nigeria. I’m proud of myself. My family knows the effort I put in. I’m happy to take this trophy back to the U.S.”

In the men’s final, Mathew Kuti overcame unseeded Abdulfatai Abdubasit 4-2 (7-11, 12-10, 6-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-6).

Kuti had earlier won the championship in Lome, becoming the first player to defend a West Africa regional title.

Wahid Oshodi, President of the Africa Table Tennis Federation, said fans would be thrilled, and that was what mattered most.

He praised the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation and said the focus was on developing new talent for future success.

“It took us 15 years to get Quadri Aruna into the world top 10.

“These new player are even more talented. We haven’t seen this level of giftedness in a long time,” he said.

Source: NAN

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The Nigerian star fell to Brazil’s Hugo Calderano in a one-sided Men’s Singles match at the Lusail Arena.

Touted as one of the tournament’s highlights, the clash failed to deliver drama, with Calderano asserting dominance from the very first point.

The Brazilian secured a commanding 4-0 win (11-4, 11-4, 11-4, 11-6), comfortably booking his place in the quarter-finals.

Calderano, tactically sharp, nullified Aruna’s powerful forehand by forcing him into backhand rallies, where the Nigerian proved less effective.

In spite of guidance and encouragement from his coaches, Aruna failed to find his rhythm, committing numerous unforced errors throughout the match.

The 22-minute encounter showcased Calderano’s sharp technique and explosive topspin strokes.

In spite of the result, Aruna continues to break new ground.

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At 36, he remains an icon of African table tennis.

He is now the first African to reach the ITTF World Championships Round of 16 on two occasions.

In Doha, Aruna was also the only African to finish among the top 16 players in the Men’s Singles.

After the match, Calderano praised Aruna’s quality and the challenge he presents at the top level.

Calderano said, “It’s difficult to maintain form after winning the ITTF World Cup last month.

“I needed rest, but returned focused. Against someone like Aruna, you must always bring your best game.”

Though his campaign ends in Doha, Aruna’s achievements continue to inspire across Nigeria and the African continent.

Source: NAN

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They will clash in the fourth round of the Men’s Singles at Lusail Arena, promising another high-stakes encounter between two continental table tennis icons.

Aruna and Calderano have earned legendary status through consistent global performances and their trademark never-say-die attitude at the table.

Both made history at the Rio 2016 Olympics, becoming the first from their continents to reach the men’s singles quarterfinals.

Since then, they have amassed multiple continental titles and broken into the ITTF world top 10.

Calderano is currently in superb form, arguably the best of his career.

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He recently won the 2025 ITTF World Cup in Macao, beating China’s top seeds, Wang Chuqin and Liang Jingkun.

That victory made Calderano the first South American to claim the prestigious World Cup title.

Aruna’s Doha campaign began with a dominant 4-0 win over Victor Ishiy, Calderano’s Brazilian compatriot.

He followed that with a thrilling 4-2 win against Norwegian left-hander Borgar Haug.

In the third round, Aruna defeated Germany’s Benedikt Duda 4-2 on Tuesday.

Calderano, like Aruna, started strong with a 4-1 win over Mexico’s Rogelio Castro.

He then cruised past Tunisia’s 2024 African Youth Champion, Wassim Essid, with a commanding 4-0 performance.

However, Kazakhstan’s Kirill Gerassimenko tested him in the third round.

Down 0-2, Calderano made key adjustments and fought back to win 4-2, booking a date with Aruna.

Speaking before the match, Calderano praised Aruna’s strength and tenacity.

He said, “Yeah, definitely Aruna is a very strong player. He’s been in the top 10 before, and everybody knows him.

“I will be ready for a big fight because he’s also a fighter, so it’s going to be very exciting.”

Source: NAN

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On a day when most African contenders bowed out on Day 3 of the global table tennis showpiece, Aruna pressed on with trademark grit and determination.

He advanced to the third round amidst loud support from African Table Tennis Federation President, Wahid Enitan Oshodi.

In a tense encounter at Qatar University, Aruna faced Norway’s Borgar Haug in what turned out to be one of the tournament’s most thrilling duels.

In spite of the Norwegian’s lower world ranking, the match was anything but predictable, highlighting that table tennis is won on the court—not on paper.

Aruna claimed the first set 11-7, but Haug responded fiercely with an 11-3 win in the second.

The back-and-forth battle continued with Aruna taking the third set 11-8, before Haug leveled again, winning the fourth 11-8.

Aruna’s powerful and precise serves gave him the edge in the fifth set, which he won 11-7.

The sixth and final set was a nail-biter.

Aruna led 9-7, but Haug fought back to tie at 9-9.

The Nigerian edged ahead to 10-9, only for the Norwegian to equalise once more at 10-10.

Drawing on experience and composure, Aruna secured the next two points to take the set 12-10 and seal the match 4-2—becoming the last African man standing in the competition.

At a nearby table, Egypt’s Omar Assar was edged out in a narrow 4-3 loss to Portugal’s Marcos Freitas (11-6, 8-11, 12-10, 3-11, 8-11, 11-8, 10-12), bowing out in the second round.

In the Women’s Singles, Madagascar’s 22-year-old sensation, Hanitra Raharimanana saw her fairytale run end in the second round after a 4-0 defeat (11-2, 11-8, 11-2, 11-4) to Germany’s Sabine Winter.

African teams experienced mixed outcomes in the Mixed Doubles event.

Nigeria’s Olajide Omotayo and Kabirat Ayoola were eliminated in the second round by South Korean opponents.

However, Egypt’s Youssef Abdelaziz and Mariam Alhodaby progressed to the third round with a commanding 3-1 victory over their Italian counterparts.

Aruna will next face Germany’s Benedikt Duda, a familiar rival, in what promises to be another thrilling third-round clash as he continues his inspiring journey in Doha.

Source: NAN

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Aruna, the 2024 African Cup champion, on Saturday delivered a confident performance, winning 11-9, 11-7, 11-7, 11-9 to underline his top-contender status.

Also impressing for Nigeria, Olajide Omotayo and Kabirat Ayoola edged Egypt’s Mahmoud Helmy and Hend Fathy 3-2 in a gripping Mixed Doubles battle.

In spite of losing the first game, the Nigerian pair rallied brilliantly to clinch victory in five thrilling sets and reach the second round.

Elsewhere, Egypt’s Yousra Helmy advanced in Women’s Singles with a commanding 4-1 win over Australia’s Jocelyn Lam.

However, several African players bowed out early, including Nigeria’s Hope Udoaka and Ethiopia’s Darara Dufera, who lost in straight sets.

The 2025 ITTF World Table Tennis Championships, featuring over 300 athletes from 70 countries, runs for nine days in Doha, Qatar.

Matches are being held at the Lusail Multipurpose Hall and Qatar University Sports Complex, with strong global interest and fierce competition.

A major upset came in Mixed Doubles as unseeded Italians Bobocica and Stoyanov stunned 12th seeds Ionescu and Szőcs 3-0.

Fans can expect more thrilling encounters when action resumes on Sunday, with several key fixtures on the schedule.

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A statement from the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, NTTF, on Wednesday indicated that the five-time champion was optimistic about delivering his best performance in the tournament.

In spite of acknowledging the tough competition in Tunis, Aruna remained confident.

“At 36, I have nothing to lose. I’m fully prepared to compete against everyone, including young talents like Wassim Essid, who is already seen as the future African champion.

“For me, it’s been years of success, and if we reach the final again, it shows we still have a lot to offer.

“I expect a tougher challenge this time, but I’m ready to give my best and see how things unfold,” Aruna said.

The most successful player in ITTF Africa Cup history, Dina Meshref, is determined to defend her title and secure her 10th championship at the prestigious tournament in Tunis.

Speaking about her ambition, the nine-time champion said: “Every tournament has its own charm.

“Even though I’ve won it several times, I’m still excited and motivated to give my best and fight for the title once again.”

Tunisia’s Wassim Essid is riding high on confidence after a landmark victory at the ITTF African Club Championships.

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The 17-year-old defeated five-time Africa Cup champion Omar Assar 3-2, becoming only the third African to triumph over him in a competitive match.

In spite of Essid’s impressive win, his team narrowly lost 3-2 to Assar’s ENPPI.

Essid remains optimistic about the ITTF Africa Cup, believing that playing on home soil will enhance his performance against top players.

“Of course, I have an advantage playing in Tunisia because my fans, friends and family will support me.

“This competition will be different as there are many top players, but I will give my best to go far in the tournament,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tunisia Table Tennis Federation, TTTF, President, Lofti Guerfel, has expressed his excitement about hosting the event, calling it a showcase of Africa’s best talents.

“It is a special event, with talented players from across Africa gathering in Tunis. I hope you enjoy your stay in Tunisia.

“Our youth players are improving every day, and we are providing the best conditions for them to excel in the competition.

“There are many talented players like Quadri Aruna and Omar Assar, but young players have nothing to lose against the top competitors.

“They will be ready to cause upsets, as the pressure is greater on senior players than on the young ones,” Guerfel said.

Source: NAN

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The game played at the Lusail Sports Arena saw Pitchford secure the first set 12-10, but Aruna bounced back 11-9, 11-9, 11-9 in the last three sets to pick the win and progress to the Round of 16.

Aruna will face Spain’s Alvaro Robles in the Round of 16 on today.

Source: NAN

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Quadri Aruna lost 3-4 in his round of 64 match at the South Paris Arena to Eduard Ionescu of Romania.

Aruna’s hopes of repeating his Rio 2016 quarter-finals performance went up in smoke when the 20-year-old Ionescu made it a thrilling Olympic debut for himself.

He rallied back to win with an 8-11 9-11 6-11 11-8 12-10 11-9 13-11 scoreline, in spite of having played a match earlier in the day.

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The Nigerian won the first three games —-  11-8 11-9 11-6 —- only for Ionesco to turn the match on its head by winning the next two games —- 11-8 12-10—- to take the match to seven games.

His opponent then won 11-9 13-11 to take the match and head to the round of 32.

Earlier in the day, Olajide Omotayo had lost 1-4 to Iranian Noshad Alamiyan.

The result meant both Nigerians are out of the men’s singles event of the competition.

Source: NAN

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