Africa’s number one player, Quadri Aruna, will begin his campaign at the WTT Star Contender Bangkok today with a clash against Japanese player Yukida Uda in the second round of the Men’s Singles.
The highly anticipated match comes up at the Huamark Indoor Stadium.
Aruna, who is the only African representative is a familiar foe to Uda as he narrowly defeated him 4-3 in a closely contested match at the Hong Kong Open in 2018.
Uda, who defeated Portugal’s Joao Monteiro (3-2) in the first round, is fired up after he prepares to face a formidable challenge from Aruna.
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In his previous outing at the WTT Star Contender in Slovenia, Aruna faced another Japanese star, Sora Matsushima, and suffered a defeat.
However, he remains motivated as he looks ahead to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, scheduled to begin later this month in France.
Beyond aiming for his first WTT title, Aruna is determined to accumulate ranking points that will elevate his status when the draws for the Paris Olympic Games Men’s Singles are announced.
As the 2024 Africa Cup champion, he aims to surpass his quarterfinal finish from Rio 2016 and become the first African player to reach the podium at the Olympic Games.
The tournament boasts total prize money of $250,000, with 600 ITTF World Ranking Points awarded to the champions.
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