As the first round matches of the ongoing World Table Tennis, WTT Contender in Durban, continue today, African champions Quadri Aruna of Nigeria and Dina Meshref of Egypt have been handed their first round opponents at the Olive Convention Center.
The Nigerian and the Egyptian are number four seeds in the men’s and women’s singles and they are expected to start their campaigns today.
Aruna who is the highest ranked African player in the world rated 15th will face a daunting task when he takes on Chinese sensation Sun Wen in the first round of the men’s singles.
The 26-year-old Chinese star who ranks 111 position in the world will be hoping to halt the dominance of Aruna who mustered his way in victory over his compatriots at the 2022 WTT Star Contender in Qatar.
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Like Aruna, Meshref who is the only top ranked African listed among the top seeds will confront German Chinese-born Yuan Wan.
The Egyptian will have to be at her best against the skillful German ranked 86th in the world and capable of causing an upset against the 28th rated African champion.
The $75,000 prize money tournament has Brazil’s Hugo Calderano and Germany’s Nina Mittelham as number one seeds in men’s and women’s singles while for the first time Botswana’s Ndelu Mooketsi and South Africa’s Zodwa Maphanga will be competing in the main draw of WTT even after working their way to the main draws.
The tournament ends on January 15 with winners getting 400 ranking points.
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