Nigeria and Africa’s No. 1 table tennis player, Quadri Aruna, has been drawn against Chinese sensation Sun Wen at the upcoming World Table Tennis Contender series in Durban, South Africa.
The Nigerian, who is seeded fourth in the men’s singles event, is scheduled to begin the tournament at the Olive Convention Center in Durban.
The 15th-ranked player in the world will lead Africa’s contingents, which will include debutants Ndelu Mooketsi of Botswana and Zodwa Maphanga of South Africa.
Aruna is not unknown to the Asians, having defeated some of their top-ranked players, but Wen will be preparing to end the fine record of the African champion.
The $75,000 prize money tournament serves as a run-through for the 2023 World Championships, which will be held in Durban in May.
Brazil’s Hugo Calderano leads the men’s list of top-ranked players, while Germany’s Nina Mittelham enters the series as the women’s top seed in the singles event.
Likewise, female African champion and Egyptian No. 1 Dina Meshref is seeded number four in the women’s singles and will battle Germany’s Yuan Wan.
Meshref, ranked 28th in the world, will need to be careful against the competitive and skilled German, ranked 86th in the world, to prevent an upset.
The tournament that began on Tuesday, January 10 will end on Sunday, January 15, with the winners awarded 400 ranking points, a major boost to their overall ranking.
