By Victor Kanayo
The long-standing rivalry between two continental giants—Africa’s Quadri Aruna and South America’s Hugo Calderano—will be reignited at the 2025 ITTF World Championships in Doha.
The two stars are set to clash in the fourth round of the Men’s Singles on Thursday, 22 May, at the Lusail Arena.
Aruna and Calderano are widely regarded as modern icons of table tennis in their respective regions.
Their relentless spirit and global achievements have earned them legendary status.
Both made history as the first players from Africa and South America to reach the quarter-finals of the Olympic Games at Rio 2016, and each has claimed multiple continental titles and broken into the world’s top 10 rankings.
Currently, Calderano is enjoying the best form of his career. He recently captured the 2025 ITTF World Cup title in Macao, defeating world No. 1 Li Shidong and No. 2 Wang Chuqin of China—becoming the first South American to win the prestigious trophy.
Aruna’s path to the fourth round in Doha has been equally impressive.
He opened with a commanding 4-0 win over Calderano’s compatriot Victor Ishiy, followed by a thrilling 4-2 victory against Norwegian left-hander Borgar Haug. In the third round, he continued his fine form by overcoming Germany’s Benedikt Duda 4-2.
Calderano, the world No. 3, has also been in top shape. He began with a 4-1 win over Mexico’s Rogelio Castro, then delivered a clinical 4-0 performance against Tunisia’s Wassim Essid, the 2024 African Youth Champion. However, he faced a stern test in the third round against Kazakhstan’s Kirill Gerassimenko.
After falling behind 0-2, Calderano adjusted his tactics and rallied to win 4-2, setting the stage for a blockbuster showdown with Aruna.
Looking ahead to the match, Calderano praised his Nigerian rival, saying, “Aruna is a very strong player. He’s been in the top 10 before, and everyone knows what he’s capable of. I’m ready for a big fight—he’s a fighter too—so it’s going to be very exciting.”
