Nigeria’s table tennis star, Aruna Quadri has set a new African record at the 2021 international table tennis federation, ITTF World Championships taking place in Houston, Texas, United States after he qualified to the round of 16 of the Men’s Singles as the first African to achieve the feat.
Asides being the first African that made it to the round of 16, Quadri is at the moment the only African competing in the Men’s singles at the tournament.
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It was Egypt’s Omar Assar and Ahmed Saleh that had the best record at the global tournament in Africa having made it to the round of 32 but with the performance of Quadri in Houston, he inked new record after passing a litmus test against Indian Sathiyan Gnanasekaran.
Aruna earned his ticket to the Round of 16 following a breathtaking clash with the clever Indian star.
Aruna and his opponent put everything into the encounter by exchanging explosive rallies throughout the contest.
Twice Gnanasekaran led, but the Nigerian caught up with and it was Aruna’s heart and desire that proved the difference in truly dramatic fashion.
The 4-3 (11-9, 7-11, 13-15, 11-3, 4-11, 11-9, 11-7) win has again put Aruna on the history lane as the first African to reach the last 16 stage at the World Championships exceeding Egypt’s Omar Assar’s last 32 feat in 2019.
The Nigerian will now face Sweden’s Kristian Karlsson for a place in the last eight (quarterfinal) of the championships.
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