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Tag: Omar Assar

  • Aruna, Assar make  top seeds  for WTT Star Contender Chennai

    Aruna, Assar make  top seeds  for WTT Star Contender Chennai

    Africa’s top table tennis players, Quadri Aruna from Nigeria and Omar Assar from Egypt, have been listed in  the top seeds for the 2025 WTT Star Contender Chennai.

    This prestigious tournament, with a prize pool of $275,000, has attracted elite players from around the globe, including world No. 3 Tomokazu Harimoto of Japan and Brazil’s world No. 5 Hugo Calderano.

    Harimoto and Calderano are the top two seeds in the Men’s Singles, followed by Denmark’s Jonathan Groth as the third seed. Aruna, the highest-ranked African player, is the fourth seed, with Assar closely behind as the fifth seed.

    Both Aruna and Assar have received byes to the second round (last 32) in the Men’s Singles, where they will begin their campaigns to claim a significant share of the prize money.

    Aruna, a late replacement for Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov, aims to improve on his second-round finish in 2024 with another strong performance in India.

    Read Also: President Federation Cup: NFF fixes National Play-Off for Mar. 5

    The Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium will host the competition over the next five days, featuring top table tennis talent across five disciplines.

    The two-day qualifying rounds was concluded, with the main draw action starting today through March 30.

    The tournament offers not only a substantial prize pool but also crucial ITTF Table Tennis World Ranking points, making every match highly competitive.

    In the Men’s Singles Qualifying, Nigeria-born Italian national champion,  John Oyebode, the No. 3 seed, showcased his dominance by defeating local hopeful Arnav Karnavar (11-4, 11-5, 11-2) in just 16 minutes. Oyebode now faces Abhinandh Pradhivadhi in the final qualifying round for a spot in the main draw.

    The Women’s Singles event sees a strong Japanese presence, with Hina Hayata leading the seeding list. Hayata, aiming to add another WTT Series win to her impressive collection of seven titles, is joined by Miwa Harimoto and Satsuki Odo. Harimoto, a two-time WTT Contender champion, seeks to make her mark at the WTT Star Contender level, while Odo aims for her first WTT Series breakthrough since her title run at WTT Champions Montpellier 2024.

    Indian table tennis icon Sharath Achanta, along with Manav Thakkar and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, will compete for Men’s Singles glory, while Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula aim for success in the Women’s Singles, making it a historic week in Chennai.

  • Egypt’s Goda, Assar rule 2025 ITTF Africa Cup

    Egypt’s Goda, Assar rule 2025 ITTF Africa Cup

    Hana Goda and Omar Assar has emerged the new champions of Africa after the 2025 ITTF Africa Cup was concluded yesterday  in Tunis, Tunisia.

    While the younger Goda dethroned fellow Egyptian Dina Meshref 4-2 to clinch the Women’s Singles title, their compatriot, Assar, narrowly edged Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna in a 4-3 battle of the superstars of African table tennis in the Men’s Singles final matchup.

    For three days, 50 players from Algeria, Benin Republic, Cameroon, Congo DR, Congo Brazzaville, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Egypt, Madagascar, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia, and Zambia competed in the tournament, which also served as qualifiers for the 2025 ITTF World Cup.

    In the Women’s Singles, Goda started her day with a comeback win over Meshref. After falling behind 2-0, Goda rallied to win 4-2, reclaiming her title. Meshref initially dominated with scores of 11-9 and 11-5, but Goda regained her composure, winning the next four games 11-9, 11-6, 11-6, and 12-10.

    A relieved Goda credited her mental coach for the comeback, stating, “I think the credit must go to my mental coach who advised me that even when I am down, I should never give up. This motivated me to come back in the game. I must also commend my opponent for putting up a good performance, and I am happy with the victory.”

    Read Also: NFF: Eguavoen to assist Eagles Malian coach Chelle

    In the Men’s Singles final, Assar had to dig deep to overcome defending champion Aruna in a close 4-3 match (11-3, 14-16, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6).

     After the match, Assar described his win as the most challenging of his career, saying, “This is the toughest tournament, and I am so exhausted from all the matches I played in Tunis. I thank my teammates and our host, Tunisia, for being a good host.”

  • Omar Assar reclaims ITTF Africa Cup

    OMAR Assar of Egypt on Monday reclaimed the title he lost in 2017 after beating compatriot – Ahmed Saleh in the final of the 2019 ITTF Africa Cup held at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos Omar Assar had also beaten defending champion- Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri in the semifinal, in his march to a total victory.

    Dina Meshref continued her dominance in the continent as the defending champion retained her title with a convincing win over Yousra Helmy in the final of the women’s singles.

    Assar, who is the tournament’s no.3 seed, in the semi-final stage accounted for the host nation’s favourite, Quadri, the top seed (11-6, 11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 11-3), prior to overcoming  Saleh, the no.2 seed (10-12, 11-3, 11-6, 12-14, 11-3, 9-11, 11-3), the winner as far back as 1997 when the second edition of the tournament was staged in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

    Quadri finished in third place; in the play-off contest, he accounted for Algeria’s Sami Kherouf, the no.8 seed (11-6, 12-10, 11-5), the penultimate round victim of  Saleh (11-7, 11-6, 7-11, 11-4, 6-11, 11-2).

    Success for Assar was contrary to seeding. For Meshref, it was according to status.

    Meshref, at the semi-final stage, beat Nigeria’s Offiong Edem, the no.2 seed, with the loss of just one game (11-5, 11-6, 9-11, 11-4, 11-8), a contest where the result was somewhat more convincing than when they had met in the final of the Arab Club Championships five days earlier. On that occasion, Dina Meshref had gone the full distance (11-6, 12-14, 7-11, 11-5, 11-8).

    With a place in the final booked, it was a family affair; she beat her cousin, Helmy, the no.4 seed (11-9, 11-9, 11-1, 11-8) to claim the title.

    Earlier Yousra Helmy had beaten Tunisia’s Fadwa Garci in a tense semi-final contest (11-1, 10-12, 11-2, 11-8, 9-11, 10-12, 12-10) to reserve her place in the title decider. Offiong Edem gained the third place, accounting for Fadwa Garci in five games (8-11, 11-8, 11-13, 11-7, 11-8).

    Gold and silver for Egypt, personal triumphs for Assar and Meshref; it is the third time Omar Assar has won the title. Meshref’s is an incredible seventh, six in a row.

    Read Also: Omar Assar’s absence won’t Team Egypt – Saleh

    Most significantly, in Chengdu, Omar Assar will be making his third appearance in the Men’s World Cup, he previously appeared in 2015 in Halmstad in 2017 in Liège. For Dina Meshref, it will be no less than her seventh venture in the Women’s World Cup. She made her debut in 2011 in Singapore, since 2014 in Linz, she has been ever-present.

    The Women’s World Cup will be staged from Friday 18th to Sunday 20th October. The Men’s World Cup will be from 29th November to 1st December.

     

  • Top 16 Cup: Assar reclaims title from Quadri in Kenya

    Top 16 Cup: Assar reclaims title from Quadri in Kenya

     

    The final match between Aruna Quadri and Omar Assar at the 2018 ITTF Africa Top 16 Cup had all the element of the epic match and the fans at the Kasarani Hall of Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi were not disappointed as they were treated to an exciting match.

    From the start of the encounter, the two players showed their class with superb shots and tactical play with Assar taking a 2-0 lead. Quadri reduced the lead to 2-1. In the fourth game, Quadri needed only one point to be at par as he was leading  10-6, but Assar caught up with him to put the game at 3-1.

    Quadri showed the quality of a professional that despite being down by 3-1, he fought well and restored parity at 3-3 to the admiration of the fans who started shouting his name.

    The seventh match saw the Egyptian racing to the lead from the start but as usual Quadri tried his best to catch up but Omar finished up to dethrone Quadri at 4-3 thus emerging the new African champion.

    Edem Offiong had to settle for third spot after beating Algeria’s Lynda Loghraibi 4-0 in the third place match.

    Egypt’s Dina Meshref retained her women’s title with a 4-1 win over Cameroun’s Sarah Hanffou.

    Speaking to NationSport after the match, Assar said: “It is unbelievable for me to win this tournament and it came at the right time I needed my confidence after starting the year not too well at the Hungarian Open and in the German Bundesliga.

    There has been a lot of pressure on me after moving to another club from my former club.

    “I think winning this will restore my confidence and I will be grateful to Werder Bremen for their support. I also think

    Aruna played very well and he deserved to win as well. This final is a good showcase for Africa and I am happy that we have such level of competition in Africa with quality players,” he added.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Quadri one step to ITTF Africa’s final

    Quadri one step to ITTF Africa’s final

    Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri and female compatriot Offiong Edem are into the semifinals of the 2018 ITTF-Africa Top 16 Cup, being decided in Nairobi.

    Both the semi-finals and finals will be played today.

    Places in the Liebherr 2018 Men’s World Cup and 2018 Women’s World Cup are at stake.

    In the Men’s Singles event Egypt is very much in evidence; in the penultimate round Omar Assar, the top seed, faces Congo Brazzaville’s Saheed Idowu, Ahmed Ali Saleh, the no.3 seed, opposes Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna.

    Similarly in the Women’s Singles competition there is a strong Egyptian presence; at the semi-final stage Dina Meshref, seeded no.1, plays Nigeria’s Offiong Edem, the no.4 seed, Cameroon’s Sarah Hanffou confronts Algeria’s Lynda Loghraibi.

    Listed at no.16 on the current Men’s World Rankings, Omar Assar starts as the clear favourite against Saheed Idowu, named at no.311 but the two have never met in recent times on the international stage and it would appear Omar Assar has some concerns.

    “I’m very happy to reach the semi-finals. I’m also very happy for each win because here the conditions are not normal. Some players are playing well because they are used to playing in high altitude but the players who play at normal altitude cannot even put two or three balls on the table. So this makes it a little bit interesting. I really don’t know, it’s very interesting that the organizers came here to play, the altitude is really very unique.” Omar Assar

    Read Also: Aruna Quadri shoots up to 27 in latest ITTF ranking

    A first meeting for Omar Assar and Saheed Idowu; not for Quadri Aruna and Ahmed Ali Saleh; they are no strangers. Notably, in world ranking events, Ahmed Ali Saleh won the five encounters starting with the success at the 2010 African Championships in Yaoundé.

    However, the most recent two engagements have gone the way of Quadri Aruna; he succeeded at the 2015 African Games in Congo Brazzaville and at the 2016 African Championships in Agadir.

    Meanwhile, when past results are taken into account both Dina Meshref and Sarah Hanffou start as favourites. At the African Games in 2011 in Maputo, Dina Meshref lost to Offiong Edem but one must remember she was only 16 years when she experienced the defeat. Ever since that date, eight meetings in succession, Dina Meshref has won on each occasion.

    It is not too dissimilar a situation for Sarah Hanffou; three contests against Lynda Loghraibi; she has won all three, the most recent being the 2016 Olympic Qualification tournament in Khartoum.

    Past results point in certain directions but could they key be the player who can adapt, the player who can succeed at high altitude and reach the heights.

    NAN

  • Africa Top 16 : Quadri, Assar take rivalry to Kenya

    Africa Top 16 : Quadri, Assar take rivalry to Kenya

     

    The two best players in Africa will re-ignite their rivalry again at the 2018 ITTF Africa Top 16 Cup as Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri and Egypt’s Omar Assar will be aiming for the ITTF World Cup slot in astern African nation of Kenya.

    As the defending champion, Aruna Quadri who is ranked 20 n the world will be up against Omar Assar rated 16 at the epic tournament holding at the Moi International Sports Stadium, Kasarani indoor Gymnasium in Nairobi.

    In 2017, it was Quadri who laughed best beating Omar Assar 4-3 at the ITTF Africa Cup held in Agadir, Morocco to seal the continental ticket to the 2017 World Cup held in Liege, Belgium.

    Aside Assar, Quadri will be up against another Egyptian warlord, Ahmed Saleh who also qualified based on his world rating.

    Also, Egypt’s Dina Meshref will have her hands full against informed Nigeria’s duo of Olufunke Oshonaike and Edem Offiong as the African games gold medalist aims to hold on to the title she won last year.

    ITTF tournament is also making a return to Kenya 29 years after the Central African nation hosted an international last in 1989. The best 32 players (16 men and 16 women) will converge in Nairobi on March 1 to 3 for the tournament which serves as qualifiers for the ITTF World Cups.

    According to the President of Kenya table Tennis Association (KTTA), Andrew Mudibo, Kenyans are ready to stage one of the continent’s prestigious tournament.

    “90 percent of the preparations has already been completed and we are remaining with just a few lose ends to tie up. The venue that will host the tournament is the Moi International Sports Stadium, Kasarani indoor Gymnasium in Nairobi and the Kenya Government through our Ministry of Sports are fully committed in Kenya putting up a strong event and their support is in several areas that we have requested them to come in. This process is continuous,” he said.

    On the eagerness of Kenyans to watch the best of the continent, the KTTA boss said: “Many Kenyans who you talk to are looking forward to watching the best players in Africa.

    This is good for us as most of the times it is the strong sports like football, rugby and athletics that draw large crowds but this time round we hope the Kenyan fans will be able to come and be part of the legacy that this tournament will leave behind and Kenya Table Tennis Association will go all out to publicize the event to the Kenyan public for them to come and enjoy the games.

    We shall also be giving access to schools to bring their students to watch and maybe one of them will pick up the sport and be the next Segun Toriola,Quadri Aruna, Omar Assar or even Olufunke Oshonaike.”

  • Quadri and I have raised table tennis – Assar

    Quadri and I have raised table tennis – Assar

    Omar Assar of Egypt is indeed excited that Africa is presenting two players for this year’s ITTF World Cup in Liege, Belgium and the 2015 African Games champion believes this development has confirmed that the continent is making giant stride in table tennis.

    Assar, who is in Group C alongside Russia’s Alexander Shibaev and Belgium’s Cedric Nuytinck in the first round of the tournament which serves off today at the Country Hall in Liege told NationSport yesterday at the official hotel of the competition – Park Inn that being the first time Africa will be having two players competing at the World Cup, this has shown that Africa is not a pushover globally in table tennis.

    “I think having two African players at the World Cup is no child’s play as it is a long years of hardwork from the players. Unlike before when for years, we have only one player emerging from the hundreds of players in Africa competing either at the African Cup or Top 16 Cup. This goes to show that Quadri and I have raised the profile of Africa in global table tennis as everybody now see the continent as among the best in the world. I am so happy and I just hope we can make things happen in the tournament but I must be sincere that it is the best 20 players in the world that are competing and we should not too complacent but play our best against the best to be able to make some points in the tournament,” Assar said.

    The Egyptian believes the training he had in Dusseldorf, Germany has prepared well for the championship as he hopes to advance from the group. “I have prepared very well for this tournament in Dusseldorf and I am optimistic that with the training I can do well by first of all qualifying from the group,” he added.

  • Aruna reigns over Omar Assar at ITTF Africa Cup

    Aruna reigns over Omar Assar at ITTF Africa Cup

    The years of domination by Egypt’s Omar Assar over Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri came to an on Monday, July 3 at the 2017 ITTF Africa Cup in Agadir, Morocco, as the Nigerian dug deep to beat his continental rival 4-3 to emerge as the champion in the men’s singles.

    Also, the victory qualifies Aruna Quadri to this year’s ITTF World Cup, being the second consecutive time the Nigerian will be representing Africa at the global stage.

    Despite playing without any coach, Aruna Quadri knew what was at stake in the encounter and he was calm and collected throughout the match to have an edge over the Egyptian.

    Even when he was losing vital points, Aruna Quadri showed class and even the spectators applauded the Nigerian for his conduct and professionalism during the encounter.

    To emerge as the new African Champion, Aruna Quadri defeated Omar Assar 4-3 and this Nigerian believes luck worked for him in the encounter.

    “I am so happy today that I won because it was not an easy match. I am happy that my backhand worked well in the match because I was afraid to use it against my friend – Omar Assar whom I know was in his best form this time. I think Omar Assar played and that it was just luck, today because sometimes luck plays a crucial role in matches,” Aruna Quadri told NationSport after his victory.

    The Vice President of African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF), Olabanji Oladapo who watched the final, described Aruna Quadri as a true ambassador of Nigeria who needs more support now.

    “I am so proud of Aruna Quadri and Funke Oshonaike because they played without coach against the Egyptians who had their coaches with them. They made the country proud and the match between Aruna Quadri and Omar Assar was highly technical and this goes to show that we need good and quality coach to handle our players because having played good players without coach and won, it is obvious that we need a more experienced coach to handle our top players. I am so proud and all my colleagues in ATTF congratulated me,” Oladapo said.

  • 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: 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.