Quadri Aruna kicked off 2025 with a significant victory on Thursday, January 9, by defeating British champion Liam Pitchford.

This win propelled him to the third round of the Men’s Singles at the WTT Star Contender Doha in Qatar.

Earlier in the competition, Egypt’s Dina Meshref was unable to overcome China’s Chen Yi, exiting the Women’s Singles in the second round with a 3-1 loss.

As the only remaining African competitor and the fifth seed, Aruna navigated the challenging style of Pitchford to avoid an early exit. Despite losing the first game 10-12, Aruna bounced back to win the next three games 11-9, 11-9, 11-9, securing his spot in the third round.

Next, Aruna will face Spain’s Alvaro Robles, who also advanced by defeating a Japanese contender in the second round.

The Men’s Singles draw saw a major upset with the third seed, Patrick Franziska of Germany, being eliminated in the round of 32. Franziska initially led against Park Ganghyeon of the Korea Republic but ultimately lost 3-2 (9-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8).

Frenchman Thibault Poret continued his impressive run in Doha, defeating No.14 seed Lim Jonghoon of Korea Republic (11-6, 9-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8) to reach his first round of 16 at the WTT Star Contender stage.

In the Women’s Singles, Britt Eerland celebrated advancing to the last 16 after a notable 3-1 win over No.14 seed Manika Batra of India (10-12, 11-8, 11-8, 11-3). Eerland overcame an early setback in game one to win three consecutive games.

Bernadette Szocs also demonstrated remarkable resilience, coming from behind to defeat the German in five games (3-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9), showcasing her fighting spirit and determination.

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Quadri Aruna will kick off his New Year campaign as the fifth seed at the WTT Star Contender Doha, which began on Wednesday with the main draw at the Lusail Sports Arena in Doha, Qatar.

Also, Egypt’s Dina Meshref will commence her quest for glory in the second round of the Women’s Singles against China’s Chen Yi. The 2024 Africa Cup champion is making a return to the international scene after excusing herself from the 2024 African Championships in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Egypt’s Dina Meshref

Aruna, who started 2025 as the second highest-rated African, is ranked 21st in the latest ITTF rankings, just behind Egypt’s Omar Assar, who is ranked 18th in the world.

As one of the top-ranked players at the WTT Star Contender Doha, Aruna is seeded No. 5, following Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto, Germany’s Dan Qui, Germany’s Patrick Franciska, and Slovenia’s Darko Jorgic, who are the top four seeds in the Men’s Singles.

Doha has been a favorable venue for Aruna, as he reached the semifinal stage at the 2022 edition. He hopes to replicate or surpass that achievement this year.

As one of the top seeds and the only African competing in the Men’s Singles, Aruna has received a bye to the second round (round of 32), where he is expected to face the winner between England’s Liam Pitchford and Kazakhstan’s Kirill Gerassimenko.

Meshref got a bye to the second round as the 16th seed in the Women’s Singles as she is hoping to break her losing streak against the Chinese players this year.

The Lusail Sports Arena sets the stage for the six-day event, starting with two days of qualifying action from January 6 to 7, followed by the main draw from January 8 to 11.

A total prize pool of $275,000 is at stake, and the WTT Star Contender Doha 2025 offers players a prime opportunity to gain significant points in the ITTF Table Tennis World Rankings.

The tournament also marks the return of former champions, including Tomokazu Harimoto, the winner of the first-ever WTT Star Contender Doha in 2021.

Seven-time event champion in the WTT Series, Hina Hayata of Japan, is another player looking to rekindle her past success in Doha.

Additionally, surprise packages from the 2022 event, Andrej Gacina and Miyuu Kihara, will also be returning.

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Hostilities commence on Friday, December 20, as the 2nd Daniel Ford Elite Youth Table Tennis Invitational Championships kick off at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.

Following a successful two-day coaching clinic, players will put their new skills to the test. 2023 African Games gold medalist Matthew Kuti begins his quest to become the first player to win back-to-back titles at this tournament, organized by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) and funded by UK-based Daniel Ford International.

Kuti, who has been in excellent form recently, will rely on his experience and exposure from several international tournaments this year, including the Africa Championships in Ethiopia. He anticipates stiff competition from perennial rivals like Muiz Adegoke and Abdulbasit Abdulfatai.

The U-19 event promises excitement as Kuti faces a star-studded lineup of players over the two-day tournament. Determined not to let his guard down, Kuti is prepared to take on regular opponents, especially Muiz Adegoke, who might be paired with him in the doubles event.

Adegoke, who has yet to fulfill his potential at the national level, hopes to replicate his doubles success against the tournament’s top players. “I can’t wait to get on the table because this is not going to be a one-sided tournament. More young players are emerging from several continental tournaments in Botswana,” he said.

A determined Adegoke admitted he would elevate his game this year to challenge favorites like Kuti. “I am hoping to make it to the final this year, and anything can happen when I get there. It is not going to be easy because everybody is playing well, but I am confident I can turn the tide against anyone on the table,” he added.

For the national coach, Dotun Omoniyi, the staging of the clinic would make the tournament competitive this year as the players never hide their intention to humble one another.

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