Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna has kept Africa’s hopes alive at the 2025 ITTF World Championships in Doha, Qatar, following a hard-fought victory on Monday in the Men’s Singles event.
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.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 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.(NAN)
