Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna and Egyptian Dina Meshref are set to defend their titles at the 2025 ITTF Africa Cup in Tunis, Tunisia, from 25-27 February, Afrosport reports.
The event, which is the first tournament on the ITTF Africa calendar this year, promises to be a top-class showcase as many of the continent’s best players jostle for the crown across various categories.
The 5,500-capacity El-Menzah Sports Palace, an indoor multi-purpose arena in northern Tunis, will host the three-day, $25,000 prize money tournament.
Aruna, who has won the tournament a joint-record five times, will rekindle his long-time rivalry with Egypt’s Omar Assar, who also boasts five titles in the men’s category. The Nigerian, however, has appeared in more finals in the competition’s history.
Other expected players in the men’s category include Abdel-Kabir Salifou (Benin), Saheed Idowu (Congo Brazzaville) , and Wassim Essid of Tunisia.
Meanwhile, in the women’s category, nine-time champion Meshref will defend her crown against fast rising star and compatriot Hana Goda, the continent’s number-one ranked player, and 2024 runner-up Mariam Alhodaby.
Lotfi Guerfel, President of the Tunisia Table Tennis Federation (TTTF), promises an exciting event with live-streaming of matches.
“TTTF is well-prepared to host these significant events in Africa,” said Guerfel. “Our team has accumulated extensive experience through previously hosted tournaments.
“We consistently seek feedback from all stakeholders to enhance the success of our future events. Our readiness to host the Africa Cup is rooted in meticulous planning and organization, starting with establishing various committees with clear roles and responsibilities and ensuring all logistics, especially high-quality equipment, are in place.
“We will ensure our technology team is ready to broadcast the event online for remote audiences and provide updates through our dedicated platform.”
Wahid Enitan Oshodi, President of ITTF Africa, added, “The level of table tennis in Africa has grown exponentially over the last few years. This tournament is not only a platform for established players but also an opportunity for young talents to make a name for themselves.”
The ITTF Africa Cup 2025 will feature a preliminary round on the opening day, followed by knockout stages on the final two days.
The four semi-finalists in both categories will automatically qualify for the ITTF Singles World Cup in Macao, from 14-20 April 2025
