Nigeria Table Tennis Legend Quadri Aruna bid to reclaim the ITTF Africa Cup title ended in heartbreak on Monday after the Nigerian star was edged out in a tense seven set semi final by Algeria’s Medhdi Bouloussa at the Al Nasr Sports, Cultural and Social Club in Benghazi, Libya.
The five time champion, who arrived at the tournament targeting a sixth continental crown, was beaten 4 3 in a gripping contest decided by the narrowest of margins, with the set scores reading 11-9, 11-6, 8-11, 11-7, 8-11, 8-11, 11-7 in favour of the Algerian.
Aruna had cruised through the earlier stages of the competition, progressing comfortably from the group phase before dispatching Libya’s Habeb Alajaebi 4 0 in the round of 16. He continued his dominant run in the quarter finals with a commanding straight sets victory over Egypt’s Badr Mostafa, winning 11 5, 12 10, 11 8, 11 9 to book his place in the semi finals and secure qualification for the ITTF World Cup in Macao, China.
The semi final encounter began poorly for Quadri Aruna as Bouloussa claimed the opening two sets. The Nigerian responded in the third, but the Algerian regained control by taking the fourth set to move within one of victory. Aruna showed his trademark resilience by winning the next two sets to force a decider, raising hopes of another famous comeback. However, Bouloussa held his nerve in the seventh set and closed out the match to end Aruna’s title challenge.
Despite the defeat, Aruna’s run ensured his qualification for the World Cup and added to an already illustrious Africa Cup career that includes titles in Kigali 2024, Agadir 2017, Khartoum 2016, Lagos 2014 and Rabat 2009.
In the other men’s semi final, reigning champion and top seed Omar Assar of Egypt advanced to the final with a convincing 4-0 win over Algeria’s Stephane Ouaiche, prevailing 11-8, 11-9, 11-7, 11-6 to set up a championship clash with Bouloussa. The women’s final featured an all Egyptian showdown between Hana Goda and Dina Meshref.
The ITTF Africa Cup serves as a qualifier for the 2026 ITTF World Cup and is organised by the African Table Tennis Federation in partnership with the International Table Tennis Federation, with this year’s edition hosted by the Libyan Table Tennis Federation in Benghazi.
