By Victor Kanayo
Nigerian table tennis sensation Aruna Quadri came from two sets down to eventually conquer rival Omar Assar of Egypt 4-3 (8-11, 9-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7, 13-11, 14-12) to win the ITTF Senior Championship men’s eingles title in Algeria on Friday.
Quadri who didn’t enjoy a good out during this year’s Commonwealth Games, now won the 2022 African Table Tennis Championship after an incredible final encounter against the Egyptian.
In what was the third consecutive final between two of Africa’s best players in the men’s singles, it was Quadri who smiled home with the big prize.
He had to dig really deep against the defending champion, to recover the title he last won four years ago.
Both men clashed in the third consecutive final at the Africa Championship, with the Nigerian gaining the upper hand in the battle for the top prize in the men’s singles.
Quadri defeated compatriot Taiwo Matti 4-0 in the semi-finals after the latter, the reigning West African champion and Africa U-19 champion, stunned Ahmed Saleh of Egypt to make his maiden semi-final spot.
Expectedly, Egypt’s Dina Meshref clinched the women’s singles title with a routine 4-0 (11-9, 11-6, 14-12, 11-7) over compatriot Yousra Helmy to reunite with the title for the third time.
The semi-finals of the women’s singles were a repeat of the same stage a year ago in Yaounde; the only difference was the results, with Yousra Helmy defeating Mariam Alhodaby 4-0 and Dina Meshref defeating Hana Goda 4-1.
It was almost another clean sweep for Egypt as the pair of Mohamed Shouman and Mohamed El-Beiali won the men’s doubles, Alaa Yehia and Hana Goda won the women’s doubles, while the pair of Mohamed El-Beiali and Hana Goda won the mixed doubles.
