Africa’s top table tennis players, including Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna and Egypt’s best talents, failed to advance past the opening round at the 2025 ITTF World Cup, bringing a disappointing end to the continent’s campaign in Macao.
All four African representatives — Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna, and Egypt’s Omar Assar, Dina Meshref, and teenage sensation Hana Goda were eliminated in the group stage, unable to progress to the next round of the prestigious international tournament.
The early exit of these top athletes, especially Aruna, Africa’s highest-ranked player, comes as a major letdown for fans across the continent who had hoped for a deeper run from their favourites.
Quadri Aruna, the last African standing in the competition, lost in straight sets (4-0) to Sweden’s Anton Kallberg in their opening group match, confirming his exit from the tournament. Although Aruna showed flashes of brilliance early in the match, including an aggressive start in the first two sets, he was unable to convert his early lead into a win.
Kallberg, who has built a reputation as Aruna’s nemesis in recent years, continued his dominant record over the Nigerian. This was their fourth career meeting since 2021, with all four encounters ending in victories for the Swedish star.
Their rivalry dates back to the 2021 WTT Contender Series in Tunis, where Kallberg edged Aruna 4-3 in a tightly contested semifinal. The Swede followed it up with convincing wins in the 2022 WTT Champions and the 2024 WTT Smash in China, both in the Round of 32.
This latest result only reinforces the Swede’s dominance, as Aruna’s struggles on the global stage continue, despite being one of Africa’s most consistent performers in recent years.
Egypt’s Omar Assar, who recently claimed the 2025 ITTF Africa Cup title, also bowed out after losing 3-1 to South Korea’s rising star, Cho Daeseong (Jaehyun). The match was a must-win for Assar to keep his hopes alive, but he couldn’t match the intensity and precision of the South Korean.
Cho, speaking after the match, praised Assar’s reputation and preparation, saying, “I played well today. Assar is an excellent player, so I did a lot of pre-match preparations, and it seems I executed them well.”
Despite his experience and form on the African continent, Assar couldn’t break through on the global stage this time, disappointing fans who expected him to carry the African flag deeper into the tournament.
In the women’s category, two of Egypt’s finest — Dina Meshref and Hana Goda — also crashed out in the first round, despite showing signs of resilience in their matches.
Dina Meshref, a veteran on the African scene, faced China’s Man Kuai in her opening match. Meshref started strongly, taking the first game with her left-handed play style and strong forehands. However, the Chinese player regrouped quickly, winning the next three games to close the match 3-1.
Kuai admitted Meshref gave her a scare early on, saying, “It’s our first encounter, and my opponent is a leftie with great strength. At the beginning of the first game, I played too cautiously, which gave Meshref a huge opportunity to win. After losing game one, I didn’t give up and focused on each point.”
Meshref’s performance earned her praise for determination, but it was not enough to move forward.
Teenage prodigy Hana Goda, still only 17, faced Austria’s Sofia Polcanova in what was another high-profile clash. Goda, one of Africa’s brightest young talents and ranked among the top junior players globally, fought hard but lost 3-1.
While she failed to advance, her display showed maturity beyond her years, and many observers believe it’s only a matter of time before she starts winning major titles.
The early exit of all African players at the 2025 ITTF World Cup highlights the growing challenge of competing at the highest level of table tennis. While players like Aruna and Assar dominate within Africa, they continue to struggle against top-ranked opponents from Asia and Europe.
This latest performance mirrors similar outcomes in past editions of the World Cup and WTT events, where African representatives have been unable to break through the early rounds.
Despite the poor showing in Macao, there is still hope for African players. The next focus will be on the upcoming WTT Series and the African Games, where players like Aruna, Assar, and Goda are expected to bounce back.
Sports development advocates are calling for more investment in table tennis at the grassroots level across Africa, with a focus on building stronger player development pipelines and providing more opportunities for international exposure.
The 2025 ITTF World Cup may not have gone as planned for Africa’s best, but the journey continues. Quadri Aruna remains a beacon of hope for Nigerian and African table tennis, while the likes of Goda represent the future of the sport on the continent.
As the dust settles in Macao, attention will turn to what lessons can be learned and what strategies can be adopted to help African players go beyond the group stages.
