Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna has set a new African record after qualifying for the men’s singles round of 16 at the ongoing 2021 ITTF World Table Tennis Championship.
Aruna defeated India’s Sathiyan Gnanasekaran 4-3 to advance to the next stage in Houston, Texas, United States of America on Friday.
The former ITTF World Player of the Year became the first African to qualify for the round of 16.
Before Aruna’s new feat, Omar Assar and Ahmed Saleh, the duo from Egypt, had held the record for Africans to have made it to the round of 32.
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Aruna and his Indian opponent put everything into the encounter by exchanging explosive rallies throughout the contest.
Twice Gnanasekaran led, but the Nigerian caught up with him before Aruna’s determination made the difference in the end.
It ended 11-9, 7-11, 13-15, 11-3, 4-11, 11-9, 11-7 to the Nigerian advantage.
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Later on Friday, Aruna will face Sweden’s Kristian Karlsson for a place in the last eight (quarterfinal) of the championships.
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