Table Tennis

Ask anyone who knows about men's table tennis in Africa and two names will come to the fore: Quadri Aruna of Nigeria and Omar Assar of Egypt.
The pair happen to be the current top two African men's singles players, and also the only men from the continent to have

Omar Assar with Quadri Aruna - WTT

International Friendship Day 2023: Omar Assar and Quadri Aruna, the friends "like Federer and Nadal" driving African table tennis to the next level

For up-and-coming table tennis prospects in Nigeria, chances are the country's top men's player Quadri Aruna has helped them in some way.
Ranked 21st in the world (as of 1 June 2021), Aruna is the world's best African, and has qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021 by

Quadri ARUNA

Tokyo 2020 | Olympic Games

ZHENGZHOU, CHINA - NOVEMBER 19:  Quadri Aruna of Nigeria competes against Xu Xin of China in the Men's Singles - Round of 16 during day one of 2020 ITTF Finals at Zhengzhou Olympic Sports Center on November 19, 2020 in Zhengzhou, China.  (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

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Table tennis: Humble hero Quadri Aruna leading the way for Africa on and off court

Dina Meshref could be a natural-born champion.
The Egyptian was meant to play table tennis, as all her family members played the game.
Her parents were national champions and it was only natural that as soon as she could hold a racket, she found herself in a court practising.
Her

Egypt's Dina Meshref.

Dina Meshref, Africa’s table tennis sensation: “I can still do more”

The year 2015 was a good one for Nigerian table tennis.
The West African nation boasted top talent in the shape of Quadri Aruna, Segun Toriola, Olufunke Oshonaike \- all taking their games to a new level.
There was also a teenage phenom by the name of Olajide Omotayo, who

Olajide Omotayo

The African Games champion ought back from depression and has now qualified for Tokyo Olympics

A year ago, Ibrahima Diaw had no plans to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
He had been waiting for his chance with Senegal, and had given up playing for Mali, who did not have a table tennis federation.
The 2008 European Youth champion had not played for France

Dakar 2026 | Youth Olympic Games

Senegal's Ibrahima Diaw.

Ibrahima Diaw: Could this be Africa’s next big table tennis star?

Nigerian table tennis player Quadri Aruna discusses his biggest idols and his favourite food from his home country.

Rio 2016 | Olympic Games

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Quickfire: Aruna talks table tennis heroes

See the best players from around the world at the 2016 Hungarian Open display talent and skills.

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Hungarian Open Top 10

United States of America

Simone

Simone Biles - Olympics.com

Sweden

Armand

Armand Duplantis - Olympics.com

Mikaela

Mikaela SHIFFRIN

Ilia

Ilia Malinin - Olympics.com

Quadri

Quadri Aruna is back chasing table tennis history at the 2024 African Championships this week, where he could become the first man to win four singles titles.
“I will be very happy to win one more time in Ethiopia, but of course the level has improved a lot. This means

Paris 2024 | Olympic Games

Quadri Aruna chases history and 'more good moments' at 2024 Africa Championships in Addis Ababa.

Quadri Aruna chasing history at 2024 Africa Championships

It is continental championships season in table tennis, and from 12–19 October it will be the turn of the best in Africa to contest the title of African champion.
The Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, plays host to the continent's top paddlers at the ITTF Africa Senior Championships 2024 across seven

Paris 2024 Olympics - Table Tennis - Mixed Doubles Round of 16 - South Paris Arena 4, Paris, France - July 27, 2024. Quadri Aruna of Nigeria in action during his round of 64 match against Eduard Ionescu of Romania. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

Quadri Aruna at Paris 2024

African Table Tennis Championships: Preview and schedule

Quadri Aruna of Nigeria and Egyptian teen prodigy Hana Goda triumphed on Sunday (18 September) in the men's and women's finals, respectively, at the 2023 ITTF African Championships in Tunis.
Three-time Olympian Aruna clinched his eighth African table tennis title in dominant style overcoming Ahmed Saleh of Egypt.
The Nigerian

Quadri Aruna after winning the African Championships in Tunis.

Quadri Aruna and Hana Goda emerge as singles champions at the 2023 ITTF African table tennis championships in Tunis

Reaching the last-32 stage on Wednesday (24 May) at ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals 2023, Nigeria’s Taiwo Mati gave a glimpse of the future of the sport in Africa.
The rising star carried the hopes of his nation after Quadri Aruna, the mainstay of Nigerian table tennis was knocked

Taiwo Mati

Taiwo Mati: The rising star of Nigeria table tennis 

Two weeks after the European champions were crowned in table tennis, it's now the turn of the best in Africa to battle it out for the title of continental champion.
Africa's top players will descend on Algiers, Algeria, to crown champions in seven events at the ITTF Africa Senior Championships

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - AUGUST 06: Quadri Aruna of Team Nigeria serves against Paul Drinkhall of Team England during the Table Tennis Men's Singles - Quarter-Final 1 match on day nine of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at NEC Arena on August 06, 2022 on the Birmingham, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

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Africa Senior Table Tennis Championships 2022: Preview, schedule, and stars to watch at the continental showcase in Algeria

It’s not often you see a knee-slide celebration in table tennis but Nigeria's Quadri Aruna is doing things his own way, and it’s working for him.
The 33-year-old is currently at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games hoping to add to, and improve upon, his two silver and one bronze medal

Birmingham 2022 | Commonwealth Games

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JULY 31: Quadri Aruna of Team Nigeria serves against Team Malaysia during the Men's Table Tennis Team Quarter-Final match on day three of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at NEC Arena on July 31, 2022 on the Birmingham, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Quadri Aruna Nigeria table tennis

How Nigerian paddler Quadri Aruna is reinventing table tennis for a whole continent

The revolution in table tennis is here.
After a delay due to the pandemic, which limited the extent of the new World Table Tennis (WTT) structure during 2021, the inaugural WTT Grand Smash has landed and is ready to shake up the sport.
From 11–20 March, the world's top players

SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE - DECEMBER 07: Fan Zhendong of China serves against Tomokazu Harimoto of Japan during their Men's Singles final match on day four of the WTT Cup Finals Singapore at OCBC Arena on December 07, 2021 in Singapore. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)

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World Table Tennis Singapore Smash 2022: Preview, schedule, and how to watch

Three-time Olympian Quadri Aruna continues to shine a spotlight on African table tennis.
The Nigerian star has become the first African player to be ranked in the top 15 in the ITTF ranking.
Aruna moved up four positions to the 15th slot according to the September 14 men's rankings.
“This

Quadri ARUNA

Featured

International Friendship Day 2023: Omar Assar and Quadri Aruna, the friends "like Federer and Nadal" driving African table tennis to the next level

Table tennis: Humble hero Quadri Aruna leading the way for Africa on and off court

Dina Meshref, Africa’s table tennis sensation: “I can still do more”

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