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Tag: Aruna Quadri

  • Quadri gets nomination for 2016 ITTF Star Awards

    Quadri gets nomination for 2016 ITTF Star Awards

  • Aruna succumbs to Egypt’s Assar in men’s singles final

    Aruna succumbs to Egypt’s Assar in men’s singles final

    Despite moving steps ahead in his quest to become African champion, Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri on Monday fell to the superiority of Egypt’s Omar Assar in the men’s singles final of ITTF Africa Senior Championship held in Agadir, Morocco.

    From the start of the match, the fans were not disappointed with the display by the two best players in Africa with the powerful shot of Aruna Quadri thrilling the fans, while Omar Assar was also up to the task against the Nigerian.

    It was the Egyptian who drew the first blood with 12-10 win. But Aruna Quadri restored parity with 11-6 win.

    The quality of the match gave the spectators something to cheer but it was Omar Assar that carried the day with a 4-3 (10-12, 11-6, 11-9, 8-11, 12-10, 6-11, 11-9) win to retain his title.

    An elated Omar Assar told NationSport after the match: “It was really a crazy match because against Aruna is always very exciting. I think I gave my 100 per cent concentration and I listened more to my coach, Helmy Ashraf. I think Aruna played very well because he was always changing service and he was more aggressive on his forehand. I am so happy retaining the title and I hope I can play better than this in a future tournament,” Assar said.

  • ITTF Championships: Egypt quakes over Toriola’s arrival

    ITTF Championships: Egypt quakes over Toriola’s arrival

    The arrival of Segun Toriola in Morocco late on Monday has thrown Egypt into technical confusion at the ongoing ITTF African Senior Championships holding in Agadir, Morocco.

    Prior to the arrival of Toriola, who is regarded as the most successful table tennis player in the continent, the Egyptians were relieved that they would have an easy ride over Nigeria with only Aruna Quadri as the only threat in the team.

    But late on Monday, when the North African heard about the arrival of Toriola, their camp has been thrown into confusion with some of their players describing it as a huge challenge for them to reclaim their title in the men’s team event.

    Even some of the Egyptian coaches were eager to make an enquiry about the players that would be presenting for the tournament while they took their time to size up Nigerian players like Olajide Omotayo, Nurudeen Hassan and Jamiu Azeez.

    They were also convinced that they would have a smooth win over the Nigerians after watching the West African team sweating hard to defeat Tunisia 3-1 in their group match on Monday.

    One of the most experienced players in the Egyptian team, Ahmed Saleh told NationSport that Toriola is a dangerous player with a lot of experience, adding that Toriola’s present form might pose a lot of problem to them in the team event.

    The Egyptian team are eager to reclaim their title after losing the men’s team title to Nigeria at the 2015 African Games.

  • ITTF: Egypt’s Assar eyes revenge against Quadri in Morocco

    If there is anything paramount in the mind of Egypt’s Omar Assar when the 2016 ITTF African Senior Championships serve off in Morocco, it is to avenge the 4-1 loss he suffered in the hand of Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri in Sudan early this year.

    At the 2016 African Top 16 Cup in Khartoum, Assar surrendered to the superiority of Quadri to lose the continental sole slot to the 2016 World Cup.

    But like a wounded lion, The Egyptian has started talking tough that he looks forward to an exciting final against Quadri.

    “Aruna Quadri has been playing in a good level recently in the French league and international events, so it will be interesting to see our match in Africa’s events especially in the men’s singles. I have been preparing very well for this event and I am looking forward to a great performance in Morocco. I expect a good start with my teammates in team event first, then in singles, I am very hungry to display a very good performance,” Assar told NationSports.

    He predicted a rematch against Nigeria in the men’s team event final, which he said promises to be explosive.

    “I do believe that Egypt is the strongest country in Africa and I trust my teammates and coaches that they can show that in Morocco, while I look forward to a classic final between Egypt and Nigeria, which has always been very fun to play and to watch as well for the spectators,” he added.

    On his readiness for the championship, the African Games champion said: “I had two weeks of physical, mental and technical preparation in Germany where I had my last training camp so I can say I am waiting for my good performance in Morocco.”

    The Pan African star, however, called for the formation of African team, which he said would help the players to improve, “I would love to see one day that there is something called Team Africa and they play regularly with teams from Europe and Asia from time to time. This would surely help the players to improve themselves,” Assar said.

  • ITTF W/Cup: Quadri unfazed by setbacks in Germany

    ITTF W/Cup: Quadri unfazed by setbacks in Germany

    Aruna Quadri has taken his early exit at the just concluded ITTF World Cup in good faith while remaining optimistic that the defeat would affect his dream of progressing in his career.

    The 2014 ITTF Star Player was beaten by Sweden’s Par Gerell 4-2 and Singapore’s Gao Ning to miss out of the second round of the third most prestigious tournament in the ITTF Calendar.

    But a determined Quadri told NationSport before his departure to Portugal from Germany yesterday that the defeat has taught him to continue to work harder.

    “I think my performance at the World Cup was not too bad because I really gave a good fight but I was not lucky enough to go out of the group. I had chances which I failed to utilize and this really cost me the two losses. Before the tournament, I really worked harder but sometimes you don’t get the results of hard work immediately of which I believed that better days are ahead. I have given my whole ability in Germany and I hope to bounce back positively in subsequent tournaments.

    “It is true that the results in Germany will affect my world ranking but I am not bothered about the ranking as there are more events in future which I could amass points to shore up my world rating again as I will keep working hard,”  he said.

    However, Quadri is still bothered that despite his rising profile globally based on his quarterfinal berth at the Rio Olympic Games, the Ministry of Sports has not deemed it fit to support his career.

  • ITTF World Cup: Quadri’s win inspired my quarterfinal berth – Swedish star

    ITTF World Cup: Quadri’s win inspired my quarterfinal berth – Swedish star

    Sweden’s Par Gerell was not initially considered as a participant at the 2016 ITTF World Cup but the absence of some top players gave him an entrance into the competition but when the competition ended he was considered to be among the top eight in the 20-man competitors.

    However, the Swedish star told Nation Sport after his quarterfinal exit that the first group win against Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri gave him all the needed confidence and determination to go further in the championship.

    “I must tell you I respect Aruna Quadri a lot because he is one of the most feared players in the world. In the last two years, he established himself as a force to reckon with in the game.

    As an African champion, he stunned the world in Rio when he edged out some of the top seeded players. I could recollect that in our first meeting at the 2016 German Open, he showed his stuff to me when he defeated me. But when I saw the draw that I will be facing him in the group stage, I knew that when it comes to rally, I cannot cope with him particularly with his powerful forehand. So I decided to rely on my service which I loaded with a lot of topspin. This was what really helped me in the victory I recorded against him.

    Being my first match in the tournament, the victory will go a long way in motivating me to progress beating players like Aruna showed that you are capable of beating anyone in the championship,” he said.

    Gerell, whose fine run was cut short in the quarterfinal by China’s Xu Xin expressed satisfaction with his performance in his first outing in the championship, while admitting the superiority of the Chinese star.

    “After winning the first game, I was leading 7-4 in the second game but he won. Also I was leading in the third game, he caught up with me and he won. I knew that if I can win the second or third games, I could put him under a lot of pressure because I noticed he was nervous in the first game. I also missed a lot of easy balls. I am happy with my performance in the competition being last to be included in the tournament and getting to the last eight is encouraging,” the Germany-based Swedish said.

  • Aruna Quadri bows out of ITTF World Cup

    Aruna Quadri bows out of ITTF World Cup

    ARUNA Quadri was shown the exit in the first round at the 2016 ITTF World Cup holding in Saarbrucken, Germany.

    The African champion who was fans favourite, lost his two matches to become the first casualty at the three-day $150,000 prize money tournament.

    In his first group match against Sweden’s Par Gerell, Quadri’s inability to return the Swedish service was his undoing as most of the points garnered by the European star came through services. But it was the Swedish star that had the upper hand winning 4-2 to dent Quadri’s rising status in Germany.

    A disappointed Quadri said after the match, “It was a very difficult match for me because I could not cope with his service and this made me to be running all about. This also made me tired. He played much better than I did and I look forward to the second match.”

    However, what would have been another opportunity for Quadri to bring himself back into the competition became a hard nut to crack for the Oyo State-born star as his dream of repeating his 2014 feat was shattered by ageing Singapore’s Gao Ning.

    A satisfied Quadri told NationSport after his surprise exit: “I gave my best but I made a lot of mistakes during crucial stage. I think he is more experienced than I do and that experience really worked for him.

    “I was also unlucky to have missed many chances; I knew that it was going to be 50-50 against him because I wanted to kill every match but I kissed so many opportunities especially having won the first two games.

  • ITTF World Cup: Quadri gets Singapore, Sweden opponents

    ITTF World Cup: Quadri gets Singapore, Sweden opponents

    Nigeria’s flagbearer in the 2016 ITTF World Cup, Aruna Quadri, was on Friday handed tough first round opponents in the shape of Singapore’s Ning Gao and Sweden’s Par Gerell

    In the draw conducted in Saarbrucken, Germany, 12 players will vie for eight slots in the second round where they are expected to battle the top eight seeded players.

    A confident Quadri told NationSport that he would give his best in the competition as his opponents are experienced campaigners.

    He said, “My opponents are not pushovers as they are champions in their own right. I respect them but I am not under any kind of pressure to play in Germany again. I am now getting used to playing under pressure and as a matter of fact I am going to Germany to enjoy myself without any kind of pressure.

    “Statistics showed that I am not one of the favourites for the podium finish but similarly I am not really going to be playing without confidence as I always believe strongly in my capability.

    “I am praying for a favourable draw and if God answer my prayer, I believe that I can surprise the world again.”

  • 2016 ITTF W/Cup: Quadri hopes for good feeling in Germany

    2016 ITTF W/Cup: Quadri hopes for good feeling in Germany

    Having won the heart of German fans with his performance at the 2014 ITTF World Cup, Aruna Quadri is hoping for a good feeling when he competes at this year’s edition in Saarbrucken this weekend.

    With his quarterfinal berth in 2014 while his recent quarterfinal outing at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Quadri who has established himself as one of the best in the world said: “As I am preparing very well and I believe that the most important thing is to have a good feeling during the tournament.”

    “I am not under any kind of pressure to play in Germany again because I am now getting used to playing under pressure and as a matter of fact, I am going to Germany to enjoy myself without any kind of pressure. Statistics showed that I am not one of the favourites for the podium finish but similarly I am not really going to be playing without confidence as I always believe strongly in my capability. I am praying for a favourable draw that will favour me and if God answer my prayer to be on a good side of the draw, I believe that surprising the world more than I have done in the past is possible,” he said.

    Quadri, whose performance at the 2014 edition of the championship remains the best by an African when the Nigeria got to the quarterfinal stage and the Oyo State-born athlete will be making his third appearance at the tournament as the continent’s flag bearer added, “It is not going to be an easy task for anyone but with God’s favour on my side. It is very possible to perform beyond expectations. I am also hoping for the best ever feeling during the championship. As I am preparing very well and I believe that the most important thing is to have a good feeling during the tournament.

    Quadri’s debut at the tournament was in 2009 and he is expected to compete against top 19 players across the globe including world’s number two and three, China’s Xu Xin and Fan Zhendong as well as Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov, who is the current European champion ranked sixth in the world.

    The draw for the tournament holds on Friday, September 30 at Saarland Hall while the group matches will start on Saturday October 1.

  • NTTF national championships to ignite Lagos

    NTTF national championships to ignite Lagos

    Lagos National Stadium will come alive in November as hundreds of players across the country are expected to battle for the 18 titles at stake at the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) national championships.

    As table tennis action returns to the Indoor Hall of the National Stadium, the six-day championship is expected to throw up talents for the country with senior, junior, cadet, para and veteran expected to compete for the diadems at stake.

    The tournament director, John Peters, said singles and doubles events would be part of the tournament while singles events will be the major event in all the categories.

    “This is another opportunity for our players to showcase their skills as well as play themselves into the national teams. After the performance of Aruna Quadri at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, it is clear to us that with more efforts we can produce more Quadri that will stun the world. This national championship is another platform that our players have to prove their mettle and we are set to ensure that it is of high standard. Also, we are adding that para events in order to give more of the special athletes to exhibit their talents so that we can have more of them making it to the Paralympic Games,” Peters said.

    Peters, who was one of the umpires that handled proceedings at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil, said that that deadline for registration of teams and players for the championship is scheduled for October 31while the championship holds on November 15 to 19.

    According to the President of NTTF, Wahid Oshodi, the tournament is meant to complement efforts being made by the Federation to unearth talents as well as engage the players in order to keep them active for major competitions.