Despite a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Quadri Aruna in the second round of the Men’s Singles at the Singapore Smash 2025, Brazil’s Hugo Calderano admitted that the Nigerian remains a formidable opponent in any competition.

Calderano had to rally from a 1-0 deficit to secure his win with scores of 8-11, 11-8, 11-9, and 11-6, advancing to the third round. This victory gives Calderano a 3-1 lead in their last four encounters.

Reflecting on the match, Calderano said, “I always knew Aruna was a very dangerous player. He can come back from 2-0 down, and he showed that again today. Everyone knows how capable he is of winning these kinds of matches. It was another valuable experience playing against him.”

In the Women’s Singles, Egypt’s Hana Goda was eliminated by China’s Man Kuai in the second round. Despite matching her opponent in power and skill, Goda ultimately fell 3-1 (11-1, 5-11, 11-1, 12-10).

The Egyptian contingent, including Omar Assar, Youssef Abdelaziz, Mohamed El-Beiali, Dina Meshref, and Mariam Alhodaby, also faced early exits, failing to progress beyond the first round of the $1.5 million tournament.

Aruna, however, remains optimistic and is looking forward to competing in the WTT Champions in China next month. For now, his focus is on defending his title at the 2025 African Cup in Tunisia later this month.

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Paralympic Games medallists Isau Ogunkunle and Olufemi Alabi demonstrated their exceptional skills at the 56th Molade Okoya-Thomas National Table Tennis Championships, held at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun.

Ogunkunle, the only African to win a medal in the table tennis event at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, secured a decisive 3-1 victory over fellow Paralympian Bolawa Akingbemisilu, becoming the national champion in the Men’s Singles Class 1-5.

Similarly, Alabi, a bronze medallist from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, showcased his talent with an emphatic 3-1 win against Abiola Adesope, claiming the championship in Class 6-10.

In the Women’s Singles Class 6-10, Kehinde Lawal triumphed over Mariam Popoola with a 3-1 victory to secure the top spot. Kate Oputa of Delta dominated the Women’s Singles Class 1-5, winning 3-1 against Kwara’s Taiwo Oyinloye.

Top seeds Matthew Kuti and Sukurat Aiyelabegan have expressed their determination to make their mark in the competition. Kuti, a silver medallist at the 2023 African Games, stated, “I have been playing well in the last two months, winning the majority of the competitions. But I don’t want to be too complacent; I will give my best to prove myself when it matters most. This is the gathering of the best players in the country, being the first national tournament in 2025.”

Aiyelabegan echoed similar sentiments, acknowledging the tough competition. “We have the best players competing here, and it is really a tough tournament. I am confident I can raise my game to win the title in Lagos,” she added.

Former Congolese international Saka Suraju, who participated in the longest-running table tennis tournament in Africa, praised the family of the tournament’s initiator for maintaining its national significance. Reflecting on his experiences, Suraju noted, “In the 1990s, I reached the final but lost to Hakeem Hassan. Back then, only the best players in the country competed. This tournament has propelled many Nigerian players to stardom, as it was a gathering of the nation’s finest. If you aspired to join the national team, you had to compete in the Molade Okoya-Thomas Cup. I’m pleased that the tournament continues even after Chief Okoya-Thomas’s passing.”

The quarterfinals of the Men’s and Women’s Singles will be held on Friday, January 31, with the final matches scheduled for Saturday, February 1.

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Ondo State triumphed in the Mixed Doubles event at the 56th Molade Okoya-Thomas National Table Tennis Championships, held at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall in Teslim Balogun Stadium.

The duo of Joshua Oladiran and Kehinde Adeyinka secured the title by defeating Edo’s Amadi Omeh and Anu Ajuwon in a thrilling 3-2 match (12-14, 11-7, 11-9, 9-11, 13-11).

After three days of intense preliminary rounds in the Men’s and Women’s Singles, the knockout stage is set to begin on Thursday, January 30.

 The para events have also been highly competitive, with Paralympians dominating their categories.

In the women’s para category, Commonwealth Games medallist Faith Obiora was unexpectedly knocked out by Kwara’s Taiye Oyinloye. Oyinloye advanced to the final but was defeated by another Commonwealth Games medallist, Kate Oputa of Delta, who won 3-1 (11-3, 7-11, 11-6, 11-9) to become the Women’s Class 1-5 champion.

Out of 109 players registered for the Men’s Singles, 16 have been seeded, while the remaining 93 competed fiercely for the 16 available slots in the main draw.

The successful players will join the top seeds in the first round of the main draw, starting on Thursday, January 30.

 The competition is expected to be fierce, with top players like national champion Matthew Kuti, Abulbasit Abdulfatai, Jamiu Ayanwale, Muiz Adegoke, and Amadi Umeh all vying for the title.

Former champion Rilwan Akanbi expressed his ambition to win the tournament now that it has become a national event.

 “I am happy that the tournament has gone national now, and this will surely allow the best players in the country to compete, unlike when it was meant for Lagos state players alone.

“ Now it is obvious that it is going to be tougher to win the title this year, but I have been training for this, and I hope I can make it this year again, having won the previous editions of the competition,” Akanbi said.

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