Africa’s highest-ranked tennis player and Nigerian born Quadri Aruna, has been knocked out of the ITTF World Table Tennis Championship in Durban, South Africa.
Aruna, was knocked out by Spanish Alvaro Robles in the round of 64 after a dramatic seven-set clash that ended 4-3.
The 2023 World Championship Finals started on Saturday, May 20, and will end on May 28, the first time Africa will host after 84 years.
Aruna had earlier defeated Romanian, Ovidiu Ionescu 4-2 (11-7, 12-10, 8-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9) in the preliminary round of the men’s singles.
Aruna began the game against Robles in high spirits as he won the first two sets 11-8, 11-9, before losing three straight sets on a go: 11-8, 11-3, 11-9.
Coming from a set down, Aruna won the sixth set 11-3 before losing the game in the last set 11-8.
Robles will face Italian Mihai Bobocica in the round of 32 on Wednesday.
Aruna will now focus on the World Contender Series Lagos, slated to take place at the Molade Okoya indoor hall of the Teslim Balogun stadium in Lagos next month.
Pulse
