The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Aruna Quadri

  • I’m ready for battle, Aruna Quadri insists

    As the main draw of the singles event serves off today Tuesday April 23, Aruna Quadri believes he is ready to rock the boat against the world’s best at the ITTF World Championships holding in Budapest, Hungary.

    The Nigerian star is seeded 22 in the men’s singles and he is expected to confront a qualifier in the first round of the men’s singles and the Portugal-based athlete told NationSport yesterday that he is fully fit to take on any opponent. “I am fit to take on any player having arrived one week ago in Budapest to prepare myself for this competition. There is no doubt that it promises to be tough but I am ready to make myself and my country proud in Budapest. I have been lucky in this tournament but

    I am hoping that I can move forward this year and give my 100 percent best against any player,” he said.

    Like Quadri, Egypt’s Omar Assar has said that he hopes to exceed his last 32 feat in 2015; “I think I have the performance of 2015 behind me as I am looking to do better than that in Budapest. There is no doubt that everybody is playing well and there is bad player so I am hoping that I can do well this year. I had trained with Aruna Quadri in Budapest, and I can see that he is in shape for the tournament and I hope we can both be good ambassadors of Africa in the singles,” Assar said.

     

  • I’m ready for battle, Aruna Quadri insists

    As the main draw of the singles event serves off today Tuesday April 23, Aruna Quadri believes he is ready to rock the boat against the world’s best at the ITTF World Championships holding in Budapest, Hungary.

    The Nigerian star is seeded 22 in the men’s singles and he is expected to confront a qualifier in the first round of the men’s singles and the Portugal-based athlete told NationSport yesterday that he is fully fit to take on any opponent. “I am fit to take on any player having arrived one week ago in Budapest to prepare myself for this competition. There is no doubt that it promises to be tough but I am ready to make myself and my country proud in Budapest. I have been lucky in this tournament but

    I am hoping that I can move forward this year and give my 100 percent best against any player,” he said.

    Like Quadri, Egypt’s Omar Assar has said that he hopes to exceed his last 32 feat in 2015; “I think I have the performance of 2015 behind me as I am looking to do better than that in Budapest. There is no doubt that everybody is playing well and there is bad player so I am hoping that I can do well this year. I had trained with Aruna Quadri in Budapest, and I can see that he is in shape for the tournament and I hope we can both be good ambassadors of Africa in the singles,” Assar said.

     

  • Quadri, Omotayo hit main draw of doubles

    The pair of Aruna Quadri and Olajide Omotayo is the only surviving Nigerian pair in the main draw of the men’s doubles at the ITTF World Championships holding in Budapest, Hungary.

    Set up against Jordanian pair of Ziad Yaman Abo and Zeyad Aldmaisy, the Nigerians put their best into the encounter to dismiss their opponents 11-9, 11-7, 7-11, 11-9 to make it to the main draw of the men’s doubles.

    A satisfied Quadri said: “From the result, you might think it was easy but must admit that it was not easy win for us. But winning the match was a good start for me being my first competitive match in the competition. This is first time we are playing doubles together and I hope as the tournaments progresses we will get to understand ourselves better for future tournaments as well as this competition.”

    But the pair of Segun Toriola and Bode Abiodun were unfortunate against Kazkstan’s Kirill Gerassimneko and Austria’s Andreas Levenko as they fell 9-11, 8-11, 12-10, 14-16 to concede deafeat and missed out from the main draw of the men’s doubles.

    Egypt’s Assar brothers – Omar and Khaled also booked their place in the main draw after beating Ireland’s Gavin Maguire and Norway’s Adrian Wetzel 11-9, 11-3, 11-6 in the preliminary round.

     

  • 2019 ITTF World Championships: Quadri makes seeding list in singles

    Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri has been seeded number 22 among the top ranked players listed in the 64-man seeding released by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) for the 2019 World Championships holding in Budapest, Hungary on April 21 to 28.

    Quadri who is ranked 23 in the April 2019 ITTF ranking released two weeks ago will be starting his campaign from the main draw (round of 128) and he has been profiled among the players to watch out for in Budapest.

    Aside from Aruna Quadri, Egypt’s Omar Assar also made the seeding list as the former African champion has been seeded 40th in the men’s seeding list.

    Egypt’s Dina Meshref is the only African female player listed in the seeding list for women’s singles as the African champion is seeded 34th in the list and she will also start her campaign from the main draw.

    Also, the mixed doubles seeding list, Nigeria’s pair of egun Toriola and Olufunke Oshonaike has been seeded 21th among the 32 seeded pairs in the event. Toriola and Oshonaike are rated ahead of the Egypt’s duo of Omar Assar and Dina Meshref who are both seeded 24th.

    Also the CEO of ITTF, Steve Dainton looks ahead to what is all set to be a true celebration of the sport.

    “When you have all the best players from around the world competing against each other, you can be sure that there will be many epic matches in store. Given the sheer number of participants, there are always likely to be shock results too, and I can’t wait to watch as the drama unfolds.

    “Of course, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are not too far away now either, and, as this is the biggest eventprior, it will also be interesting to see which players make a big impression in Budapest and prove themselves as top candidates for medalsnext year.

     

    “What I can say with absolute certainty is that the local organising committee, the Hungarian Table Tennis Association, have put in a huge amount of effort with the full support of the country. Therefore, we are sure that this will be a truly unforgettable event,” the CEO said.

     

  • 2019 ITTF World Championships: Quadri ready to rumble in Budapest

    Aruna Quadri has spring surprises when nobody expected and this has continue to shoot him to the pinnacle of table tennis in the world and again the African champion is ready to rock the boat with the heavyweights at the 2019 ITTF World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

     

    At present, Quadri is warming up for the biggest table tennis tournament in 2019 in an organized camp in Budapest and he believes that he would be in shape to compete for space at the one-week championship.

     

    “I am getting myself prepared for the championship in Budapest, but I must fight my way back from the injury I had from Portugal Open. Of course I will put my 100% best to be well prepared and see how it goes. By God’s grace I will stay in Budapest for my final preparation few days before the beginning of the tournament,” he told NationSport.

     

    Not specific with his objectives in Budapest and the Oyo State-born star said: “Just like I said that I am still fighting with an injury and I hope to be back fully in few days. I will be 100% ready as a professional and I hope to have great days in Budapest. I always set same objectives like all other participants and I pray to have a better draw from my previous world events. I hope and pray to go far better than my previous outings

    in world events.

     

    He, however, said: “My targets are to be a great ambassador for my country and represent it in a great way. Be a great ambassador for my partners and sponsors and give my 100% best in all my events. And finally I will be very happy if I can do better than my previous outings. But I must acknowledge that it is going to be very difficult as always for all participants but I have to have a better draw.”

  • 2019 ITTF African Junior and Cadet Championships: Egyptian Messi idolizes Aruna Quadri

    At just five, his table tennis coach nicknamed him “Messi” for his resemblance to the Argentine football star, Lionel Messi. And like many held high hopes for the original Messi at the same age, 14-year-old Mohamed Sameh is considered a bright future prospect for Egyptian table tennis.

    Sameh announced himself to the continent when he made the African Team to the 2016 World Cadet Challenge in China. But the surfeit of table tennis talents in Egypt slowed him down for two years.

    However, Sameh worked his way back into reckoning and was deservedly named into the Egyptian team to the 2019 African Junior and Cadet Championships currently on in Accra, Ghana.

    Read also: Quadri is 23rd in ITTF ranking

    Sameh describes Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri as one of his idols alongside China’s Ma Long but his soft-spot for the African champion was felt in his response to NationSport.

    “I believe I can become the best in table tennis in Egypt because of the kind of support I have been getting from my family. My sister who is also a member of the national junior team has been very supportive.

    For me table tennis is life as I dream and eat the game. I want to be like my idol – China’s Ma Long. He is such a talented player whose calmness on table tennis has attracted a lot of followers across the world. Apart from Ma Long, I love Aruna Quadri of Nigeria because of his footwork and forehand. The Nigerian is such a great ambassador of Africa and I hope I can achieve what he has been able to achieve as an African and we all look up to him and hope to take a cue from him,” he said.

  • Quadri is 23rd in ITTF ranking

    Aruna Quadri is now ranked 23 in the latest ITTF ranking released by the world body late on Tuesday, after his participation in the just concluded ITTF World Tour Qatar Open

    Also, Italy-based Olajide Omotayo who has been active this year on the ITTF calendar benefited too from his involvement in the Qatar Open as the former Asoju Oba Cup champion gained seven steps to be rated 129 in the world ranking.

    Quadri who was rated 25th in the March 2019 rating is now the 23rd ranked player in the world and the best ranked African player in the world ahead of his arch-rival – Egypt’s Omar Assar.

    Egypt’s Assar maintained his grip as the second best African player in the world despite dropping 47 from 44 in the ranking.

    Egypt’s duo of Mohamed El-Beiali and Ahmed Saleh are the third and fourth best ranked African player in the world rating, while Omotayo continues to trail the Egyptian as the fifth-rated African player in the world.

    From this latest ranking, it is now clear that Quadri will not be competing in the preliminary stage of next month’s World Championship in Hungary, as the 2018 ITTF Challenge Nigeria Open champion will be starting his campaign alongside the elite players from the main draw (round of 128) of the men’s singles. He will also be joined in the main draw by Egypt’s Assar, while the likes of Omotayo and Segun Toriola as well as Bode Abiodun will start their campaigns from the preliminary round of the competition.

    In the April 2019 ranking as well as China’s Fan Zhendong held on to the top spot in the world for consecutive 13months. Elevated to top spot one year ago in April 2018, one year later without a break, for the 13th consecutive month, the name of China’s Zhendong appears at the head of the men’s world rankings. Once again he has been listed ahead of compatriots – Xi Xin and Lin Gaoyuan with Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto and Germany’s Timo Boll the next in the order of merit.

    In the women’s ranking, China reserves the top five places; Ding Ning remains ahead of Zhu Yuling and Chen Meng with Liu Shiwen once again in the no.5 position.

    Also, Egypt’s Dina Meshref held on to the top echelon in Africa having moved up to 48 from 52 in the released ranking.

  • Early exit for Quadri, Omotayo at Qatar Open

    It was not a good outing for Aruna Quadri and Olajide Omotayo at the ITTF World Tour tagged Qatar Open as the duo were shown early exits in the men’s singles event of the championship.

    It was Omotayo that first tasted the defeat in the hand of the Oman Open champion – Lin Yun-Ju of Chinese Taipei.

    Despite matching the Asian star strength-for-strength from the start of the encounter, Omotayo succumbed to the prowess of his opponent. Omotayo lost 8-11, 6-11, 6-11, 5-11.

    Also, Quadri was on the losing end against Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro.

    Having just returned from injury, Quadri was taken beyond the limit by the Brazilian who won the encounter at 8-11, 9-11, 11-3, 10-12, 6-11.

    Meanwhile, former champion – Belarus’ Vladimir Samsonov has withdrawn from the tournament.

    The 42-year-old reported a sprained left ankle after taking part in the ETTU Champions League earlier this month and will now miss the Qatar Open, which he had won twice so far in his career (in 2003 and 2015).

    Having managed to cancel his participation ahead of deadline, there will be no sanction for Samsonov.

    Restricted movement in his left ankle joint means that the Belarusian legend has been forecast limited physical activity for 10-14 days, as he bids to be back fit in time for the World Championships in Budapest between 21-28 April.

  • Qatar Open: Quadri, Omotayo get bye to next round

    The top 25 table tennis players in the world including Africa’s champion – Aruna Quadri are at present in Doha, Qatar to compete at the prestigious ITTF World Tour tagged Qatar Open which serves off today.

    World number one, China’s Fan Zhendong and the most successful European star, Germany’s Timo Boll are among the array of stars campaigning in the $300,000 prize money championship holding at the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena in Doha.

    Being one of the few ITTF tournaments using the knockout format, the top players are all aiming for ranking points as well as chances to qualify for the end-of-the-year World Tour grand finals.

    Quadri and Italy-based Olajide Omotayo will be flying Nigeria’s flag in the competition and already the Nigerians have been given a bye to the second round of the preliminary by the organizers based on their global rating.

    With only the top 16 players seeded into the main draw (first round), Quadri ranked 26th in the world will have to begin his quest for glory from the second stage of the preliminary round to be sure of making it to the main draw.

    Five events made up of singles and doubles for men and women as well as mixed doubles will be jostled for while Quadri and Omotayo will be campaigning in the men’s singles as the continent flagbearers.

    For Omotayo, the tournament would help to tune him up for the forthcoming World Championships holding in Budapest, Hungary. “It is clear that most of the players coming to Qatar are likely to be the possible opponents at the World Championships and coming to Qatar Open would help to assess them.

    Also, it will also help to give direction to my training regime after the competition. I am eager to give my best with the hope to picking some ranking points in Qatar,” Omotayo said.

    Over 264 players made up of 167 men and 97 women across the globe will compete at the six-day championship which serves off with the two-day preliminary round.

  • ETTU Cup: Quadri, Abiodun in battle for final spot

    Nigeria’s duo of Aruna Quadri and Bode Abiodun will be facing the biggest battle of their career this season as they lead their Portuguese club – Sporting into the second leg semifinal of the ETTU Cup against star-studded French side – GV Hennebont.

    However, it was the end of the road for Edem Offiong and Jamiu Azeez yesterday at the 2019 ITTF Challenge Spanish Open after the duo lost their second and third matches to miss out from progressing to the knockout stage of the singles event of the championship.

    In the ETTU Cup semifinal, Quadri and Abiodun will be aiming to emulate Germany’s Saarbrücken, who turned the tide against K.S. Dekorglass Dzialdowo in their away second leg on Wednesday to edge out the Polish side from beating them to the final spot.

    Just like Sporting, Saarbrücken lost their first leg at home to the Polish side but they changed the fortune for the home team with a convincing win to berth in the final where they will be awaiting the winner between Sporting and Hennebont.

    Already, the French team has an edge over Sporting after beating Quadri and teammates 3-2 in Lisbon on March 7 while today in front of their home fans, the French side led by Englishman, Liam Pitchford will be aiming for total dominance to beat the Portuguese side to the final slot.

    The first leg was single-handedly delivered to the French side by the informed Englishman – Pitchford who had to defeat Quadri and Diogo Carvalho to claim two wins while the deciding match involving Carvalho and Belgian Cedric Nuytinck turned out to be the undoing for Quadri and his team as the Portuguese international squandered a 2-0 lead to surrender the win to the Belgian at 2-3 to give the visiting French side a 3-2 first leg win.

    Today, it promises to be exciting as both sides are aiming for a place in the final after missing out from the ETTU Champions League and hoping to use the ETTU to pacify their fans.