Quadri Aruna has surpassed Omar Assar to become Africa’s top-ranked table tennis player, now positioned 18th globally. Despite being a runner-up at the 2025 ITTF Africa Cup, his performance in WTT events has propelled him forward. In women’s rankings, Hana Goda remains the leading player in Africa, while international competition features notable players from China and Japan.
Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna has ascended to be the highest-ranked table tennis player in Africa, surpassing Egypt’s Omar Assar. The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) released rankings on Tuesday, revealing Aruna in the 18th position with 1290 points, a move up from the previous ranking. This accomplishment is particularly notable as Aruna was the runner-up at the 2025 ITTF Africa Cup and has excelled in various World Table Tennis (WTT) tournaments this year.
Aruna’s achievements include being the only African male player to reach the semifinals at the WTT Contender in Doha, mirroring his prior success earlier in the year. As a result of his performance, he has displaced Assar, who dropped from 17th to 19th position with 1250 points after winning the 2025 ITTF Africa Cup just two weeks ago.
In the women’s category, Egypt’s Hana Goda remains the top female player in Africa, moving up to 26th place in the Week 12 ITTF rankings. Additionally, Dina Meshref holds her position at 33rd, ranking as the second-best female player in Africa. On the global front, China’s Wang Chuqin stays the second-best player overall, behind compatriot Lin Shidong, while Japanese player Tomokazu Harimoto has advanced to third place after a strong semifinal performance in Chongqing. The top five women’s players remain unchanged, with China’s Sun Yingsha leading following her title defense at the WTT Champions in Chongqing.
This recent ranking update underscores the achievements of Quadri Aruna as he becomes Africa’s foremost table tennis player, surpassing Omar Assar. It also highlights the stability of Egyptian players in the female category, with Hana Goda and Dina Meshref maintaining strong rankings. Furthermore, the global standings reflect the continued dominance of Chinese players in the sport.
Original Source: nannews.ng
