Quadri Aruna Opens 2025 ITTF World Cup Campaign With Strong

Quadri Aruna Opens 2025 ITTF World Cup Campaign With Strong

Nigerian table tennis star, Quadri Aruna, began his 2025 ITTF World Cup journey on a high note in Macao, China, securing a 3-1 (11-6, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8) win over Benin Republic’s Abdel-Kader Salifou.

The match served as a rematch of their earlier encounter at the ITTF African Cup and was marked by intense rallies and dramatic momentum shifts. Aruna’s ability to remain composed in crucial moments proved decisive in his victory…READ MORE….

“Opening matches are always tough,” Aruna remarked after the match. “Gaining a 2-0 lead gave me a psychological edge. Although Salifou came back strongly in the next games, I stayed focused and closed it out. I’m satisfied with my performance today.”

Currently ranked 20th in the world, Aruna displayed notable grit, especially in the fourth game where he recovered from an 8-6 deficit to seal the win. The result places him in a solid position as he targets qualification from the group stage in the revamped tournament format.

Salifou, competing in only his second match for Benin after a five-year hiatus from international play, showed resilience and competitive spirit despite the loss.

“I had a real chance to even the score, especially when I was leading in the fourth set,” he stated. “Aruna’s composure was key. I’ll take this as motivation to improve in my next game.”

Elsewhere in the tournament, Egypt’s rising star Hana Goda delivered a dominant performance, defeating Malaysia’s Seak Hui Li 4-0 (11-2, 11-4, 11-4, 11-8) following her recent African Cup victory. Fellow Egyptian Dina Meshref also recorded a strong 3-1 win (11-9, 11-9, 11-5, 6-11) over Zhu Chengzhu, reinforcing her experience in her eighth World Cup appearance.

Other highlights from Day One included commanding straight-set wins by Japan’s Hiroto Shinozuka, Croatia’s Tomislav Pucar, and China’s Huang Youzheng. A surprising 2-2 draw between Eugene Wang and Yukiya Uda added an extra layer of excitement to the opening day.