Quadri beats Japan’s Harimoto to reach WTT Singapore Smash quarter-final

Aruna Quadri has qualified for the quarter-final of the men’s singles at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Smash in Singapore. 

The African number one defeated Japan’s Tomokazu Harimo, world number four, in straight sets at the Infinity Arena in the early hours of Thursday.

The Nigerian had faced the highly-rated Japanese teenager twice before and came out inferior on both occasions but his techniques aligned in their latest meeting.

Aruna breezed through Harimoto with quick salvos of 11-7, 13-11 and 11-7 to wrap up the match in less than 30 minutes.

The game was a one-sided affair that lacked the spark promised by the enormous pairing.

Aruna will now face the winner of the round of 16 fixture between Portugal’s Hugo Calderano and Darko Jorgic of Slovenia.

The matchup is billed for Friday.

Aruna would be hoping to surpass the quarter-final feat he achieved at the WTT Contender in Durban, South Africa, earlier in January.

He was stopped in the last eight by Yaroslav Zhmudenko of Ukraine in three straight sets.

The Nigerian is the only African player left in WTT Smash Singapore following the early exit of Egypt’s quartet Omar Assar, Dina Meshref, Hana Goda and Mariam Alhodaby.