The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Aruna Quadri

‘I’m satisfied with my Rio performance’

Africa’s record maker at the ongoing Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Aruna Quadri has admitted that he is satisfy with his quarterfinal berth at the multi-sports championship in Brazil.

Quadri, who was seeded 27^th at the Rio Olympic Games and ranked 40 in the World, caused two successive upsets against two of the world’s top players.

Based on his rating, he got a bye to the second round where he started his campaign against Slovakia’sYang Wang and defeated the European star 4-1 to set up a third round clash against world number seven and tournament number five seed, Chinese Taipei’s CHUANG Chih-Yuan. But the match against CHUANG Chih-Yuan announced the superb form of Quadri in Rio as the 2014 ITTF Star Player bashed the Taiwanese 4-0 to berth in the fourth round.

Against, he was set up against former number one and tournament number 10 seed, Germany’s Timo Boll and in his usual style, Quadri turned the table against the German with a 4-2 win.

And early yesterday, Quadri was demystified by world number one and champion, China’s Ma Long in the quarterfinal tie that ended 4-0 in favour of the Chinese superstar.

However, Quadri believes his performance in Rio has boosted his confidence to take on any opponent in the world.

“I am so much happy with my performance and also satisfy with my efforts in Brazil. I never thought I would go far but with God on my side I made my mark. I think the quarterfinal match against Ma Long was very tough because my opponent did not give any breathing space at all. I could play my style as he was forcing me to play his style. I could not make use of my forehand very well and he was too aggressive. I think he deserved the victory. But there is always another time for us to meet and I hope this defeat has taught me another lesson in my career,” Quadri said.

August 10, 2016
Frot Group rewards Quadri for Olympics feat

For making Nigeria and Africa proud at the ongoing Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Frot Group has rewarded Aruna Quadri for being the first African to make it to the last eight of the men’s singles of table tennis event.

The President of Frot Group, Frank Momoh, said the performance of Aruna Quadri has shown that with more support, table tennis has the capacity to bring more laurels to Nigeria.

“Despite the loss of Quadri to Ma Long, the team needs our commendation, especially as Quadri has set a new African record as the first African to reach an Olympic quarter final in table tennis,” Momoh said.

He applauded the leadership of Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF)-led by Wahid Enitan-Oshodi for their efforts, “The leadership of NTTF has never been in doubt, as the country’s in Rio has further shown that the plans for table tennis is Pan African and you have our full support. With patriotic support from sport loving Nigerians and organizations, Nigeria can establish her authority in world reckoning.”

“To show our full support for the team, I on behalf of Frot Group hereby give a cash reward of $2,500 to Aruna Quadri for his new AFRICAN RECORD. Well done NTTF President, Wahid Enitan-Oshodi, well done team Nigeria,” he added.

August 10, 2016
Aruna crashed out of Rio Olympics

Aruna Quadri, Nigeria and African champion early on Wednesday morning crashed out of the Rio Olympics 2016 after suffering a 4-0 defeat to China’s star and world number one Ma Long, in the Men’s Singles category.

Quadri became the first African to reach the quarterfinals of men’s singles event at Rio 2016 Olympic game.

His wonderful journey in the singles tournament came to an end with a dominant defeat (11-4, 11-2, 11-6, 11-7).

Ma looked in control of the tie from start to finish, and required less than 30 minutes to put his name into the last four of the competition.

Despite the disappointment of a 4-0 defeat, Aruna can look back on his singles campaign at Rio 2016.

“Ma Long is so much better, so much faster, everything is just perfect about Ma Long, and his speed is just too much for me.”Aruna said.

According to him, his dream of winning a gold medal in Olympic Table Tennis could very much turn to reality one day, “I believe that it is possible, nothing is impossible to get there.

Ma will face Jun Mizutani of Japan in the semi- finals on Thursday, August 11.

August 10, 2016
Nigerian surprised everybody in Olympics – Timo Boll

After being sent packing by Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri, Germany’s Timo Boll has admitted that the Nigerian has surprised a lot of people at the ongoing Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.

Amidst every doubt, Quadri pummeled Timo Boll with the Nigerian showing his class in front of the Brazilian fans with an emphatic 4-2 (12-10, 12-10, 11-5, 3-11, 5-11, 11-9) to become the first African and Blackman to make it to the last eight of the Olympic Games.

A disappointed Boll said: “He has surprised a lot of people. I knew he was good coming into the match. I just have to say, well played! His whole game is different, so it took me a while to work it out. Once I was 0-3 down I started to get more into the match, but it was already too late.”

For the first time in the fourth Olympic Games appearance, Boll, a bronze medalist at the London 2012 is not sure of making it to Tokyo 2020 in Japan.

Meanwhile, President of Senegal Table Tennis Federation, Balla Lo has lauded Quadri, saying, “Congratulations to Aruna, ATTF and NTTF. The most important thing I have noted is the huge progress of our sport, reducing the gap (difference of levels) between Africa and very developed continents. This is not the case regarding some major sports like football, basketball, judo and many other sports. Where the gap is still very deep, and best wishes to Aruna.”

August 9, 2016
Olympics: My confidence is growing – Quadri

After his superlative performance in the third round of the men’s singles of the table tennis event at Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Aruna Quadri has admitted that the win against Chinese Taipei’s Chuang Chih-Yuan has grown his confidence in playing the next match.

Quadri, who earlier this year was beating black and blue by the Asian star at the German Open said he is focused on his next encounter against Germany’s Timo Boll.

“I am growing in confidence because the last time I played Chuang Chih-Yuan was earlier this year on the ITTF World Tour in Germany, I lost in four straight games, my goal today was to improve on that performance and fight to win one game!”

“After I won the first game I became more confident. It is so hard playing Chuang Chih-Yuan, he is so consistent, he keeps putting the ball on the table, you must try to be positive against him and put him under pressure. Also, he was clever with his services, he changes short and long. In the first game I made mistakes returning service. Today he was below his best, he did not play well,” Quadri added.

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August 8, 2016
Quadri causes upset to equal Toriola’s Olympics records in Rio

Motivated by the inspiration of legend Segun Toriola, Aruna Quadri yesterday defied all odds to demystify one of the tournament’s favourites, Chinese Taipei’s Chuang Chih-Yuan with a 4-0 bashing to berth in the fourth round of the men’s singles of the table tennis event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

For making it to the fourth round (last 16), Quadri has equaled the feat achieved by Toriola at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in China where the former African champion made it to the same stage of the championship.

The Nigerian who is ranked 40^th in the world and 27 at the Rio Olympic Games tamed the world’s number seven and tournament’s number five seed to make a giant stride in his career.

If what happened at the 2016 German Open is anything to go by, Quadri has no chance against the Asian star as the 2014 ITTF Star Player was bundled out in less than 15minutes.

Fired up by the loud ovation that greeted Segun Toriola’s exit in the second round of the men’s singles, Quadri was in excellent form with an emphatic routing of his highly-rated opponent.

The defeat suffered by the Asian star was that disgraceful that he could not win a game in the 4-0 ((11-6, 12-10, 11-6, 11-7) bashing.

Notably, four year ago at London 2012, Quadri’s victim – Chuang Chih-Yuan had reached the bronze medal match, where he was beaten by Germany’s Dmitrij Ovtcharov.

Like Quadri, another star of the night was Ukraine’s Kou Lei who attracted the attention by upsetting top seed.

Kou Lei, the no.28 seed, ended the hopes of Frenchman, Simon Gauzy, the no. 13 seed (11-6, 6-11, 16-14, 11-9, 11-6).

In the fourth round match, Quadri will be faced with another task as he is expected to battle against Germany’s Timo Boll, ranked 13 in the world and tournament’s number 10 seed.

August 8, 2016
Ahead of Rio 2016 Olympic Games: Quadri is Africa’s best in Rio

Despite sliding to 40 in the August 2016 ITTF ranking, Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri remains Africa’s best ranked player in the world at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.

With all eyes on the table tennis event, Quadri may be starting his campaign in the singles event from the second round as the 2014 ITTF Star Player will be ranked among the top 32 at the Rio Olympic Games.

However, Quadri and Segun Toriola campaigns in Brazil got a boost yesterday as Frot Group has again put words to action by supporting the players in their quest for glory at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.

The chairman of Frot Group, Frank Momoh has been supporting sports in Nigeria while he extended the gesture to the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) during the 2016 ITTF World Tour tagged Nigeria Open.

For the president of NTTF, Wahid Oshodi, the gesture would motivate the players in their quest to make the country proud in Brazil.

“This support for Segun Toriola and Aruna Quadri will greatly encourage and assist our top players in their quest to put up a good performance in the Olympics and other upcoming tournaments. It will help in reducing the financial strain incurred by the players in traveling and buying equipment. Playing at world level carries a lot of expenses and the support from Frot Group will go a long way in assuaging the financial burden on the players. We are very grateful to the Chairman Of Frot Group, Mr. Frank Momoh for making this possible.”

August 1, 2016
Aruna Quadri maintains status as Africa’s best

Despite dropping points coupled with his preliminary exit at the Japan Open, 2014 ITTF Star Player, Aruna Quadri remains the highest rated African in the July ranking by the world table tennis ruling body – ITTF.

For failing to make it to the Nigeria Open, Quadri lose some points in his ranking while his early exit from the 2016 Japan Open may have contributed to his drop in the latest world ranking.

However, with 2337 points Aruna Quadri beat Egypt’s Omar Assar to second place in the continent while the Oyo State star dropped from 37 to 38 in the rating.

Quadri whose scintillating performance in his first season in the prestigious French Premier League aided his club, Jura Morez to avoid relegation is also rated 27 in the July men’s singles ranking for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.

Despite not been active in June, Egypt’a Omar Assar dropped two steps to 41 in the world and the Egyptian also failed to safe his team, Istres from dropping into relegation in the French Premier League.

Veteran Segun Toriola also remained the third best player in Africa, despite dropping to 122 from 110 in the latest rating.

For dropping from 91 to 98 in the world, Egypt’s Dina Meshref tops African ranking in the women.

Meanwhile, China held on to the top of the ranking as the world best as Ma Long, Fan Zhendong, Xu Xin and Zhang Jike are the world top four players in the ranking.

Also Chinese trio of Liu Shiwen, Ding Ning and Zhu Yuling are the top three female players in the world according to the July ITTF ranking.

July 5, 2016
Quadri now highest ranked player in Commonwealth

For the first time in the history of the Commonwealth Table Tennis Federation (CTTF), Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri has become the first African to top the ranking list of players in the Commonwealth.

In the ranking list released by the Technical Committee of the Commonwealth Table Tennis Federation (CTTF), Quadri who has been playing second fiddle to players from Singapore became the highest rated player among players from the Commonwealth nations.

Among the 277 players listed in the ranking, Quadri garnered 2385 points to beat Singapore’s Gao Ning, which has 2384 to second place. England’s Pitchford Liam has 2277 points to occupy third spot on the ranking list.

Africa’s most decorated star, Segun Toriola is rated 12^th with 2014 points behind players from India, Canada and England. Also Bode Abiodun is ranked 22^nd with 1822points.

Prior to the May ranking, Quadri has been playing second fiddle to Gao Ning and as it is Quadri remains the best player among the players from Commonwealth nations.

In the women ranking, no Nigerian made the top 20 list as Edem Offiong and Olufunke Oshonaike were ranked 23 and 26 respectively.

Meanwhile, Quadri’s aided his French team, Jura Morez to remain in the elite division of the prestigious French Table Tennis League.

June 30, 2016
Quadri to lose points in latest ITTF World Rating

With a few days to the release of the latest world ranking by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), there are indications that Aruna Quadri may drop points.

The number seeded men’s single for the 2016 ITTF Premier Lotto Nigeria Open will have 25 points deducted from his points having been registered for the tournament before the final draw on May 17.

In May, Quadri who has not been active in the last two months dropped from 29 to 32 and with this development, he might be dropping down the ladder for his absence at the ITTF Premier Lotto Nigeria Open.

However, the 2014 ITTF Star player has pleaded with his fans over his absence in Lagos. “I am using this medium to appeal to all my fans and particularly the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) and its President, Wahid Oshodi for my inability to feature in this year’s Nigeria Open. My mind was with the tournament throughout, but my club needed me as we were on the verge of going into relegation. We were four players in the team and one of my teammates was injured and for us to play in any league match we have to be a three-man team and this was what prevented me from coming to Lagos,” he said.

“But despite this, I want to promise my fans that I will continue to represent my country and make my nation proud. I have started my personal preparation for the Olympics and I hope I can repay their trust with good performance at the Rio Olympic Games in Brazil,” he added.

June 1, 2016