Africa’s number one table tennis player, Quadri Aruna, overcame French ace Alexis Lebrun 3-2 on Tuesday to progress to the round of 16 of the men’s singles at the ongoing World Table Tennis Singapore Smash.
The world No. 14, who defeated Germany’s Ruwen Filus with the same scoreline in the first round, fought hard to seal a comeback win after Lebrun won the first game 11-8 at the Singapore Sports Hub’s OCBC Arena.
Aruna dug deep to take the second game with a similar 11-8 score. He further extended his dominance in the third game, racing to an 11-5 lead to bring the scores to 2-1.
However, the giant-killing French teenager seemed revitalised in the fourth game, taking advantage of a series of mistakes from the Nigerian to level the scores with an 11-7 game, thereby ensuring the match required a deciding round.
The more experienced Aruna seemed unperturbed by his mistakes in the fourth round as he came out stronger in the deciding game. His service and rallies helped him to an 11-7 score, securing a much-deserved win.
The Nigerian table tennis star will be up against a familiar foe in Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto in the Round of 16 on Thursday, March 16.
Aruna continues to hoist the African flag at the WTT Singapore Smash following the early exit of the Egyptian quartet of Omar Assar, Dina Meshref, Hana Goda and Mariam Alhodaby.
