The 2025 ITTF Africa Cup champion, Omar Assar of Egypt, and his continental rival, Quadri Aruna of Nigeria, are among the top 32 players in the world set to compete for glory at the $800,000 prize money WTT Champions Chongqing 2025 in China.

The tournament also features Africa’s top female players, Hana Goda and Dina Meshref of Egypt, who will battle against 30 other elite players, including the world No. 1 from China, in the first WTT Champions event of 2025.

WTT Champions Chongqing 2025 marks the season’s inaugural WTT Champions event, showcasing 32 Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles in electrifying action under the purple lights from March 11 to 16.

Assar will face German pen-holder Dan Qiu in the first round on Wednesday, March 12, while Aruna faces his biggest challenge yet against world No. 2, Wang Chuqin of China, in their first-ever competitive match on the same day.

For the first time in the WTT series, Chuqin and Aruna will go head-to-head in an intriguing first-round encounter.

Aruna, a seasoned competitor, brings experience and tactical versatility to the table, while Wang, backed by his ice-cold composure and a roaring home crowd, will aim to dictate the tempo. With no past meetings to reference, both players will step into uncharted waters in this Chongqing showdown.

Goda, who recently reclaimed her ITTF Africa Cup title after a 4-2 comeback against Meshref, will face South Korea’s sensation Shun Yubin in a battle of wits between two of the brightest stars in the world on Thursday, March 13.

Goda, a former quarterfinalist at this level, made history with her Top 8 finish last season in Montpellier, France.

The 17-year-old ace arrives in Chongqing on a mission, looking to bounce back from consecutive round of 32 exits at WTT Champions Frankfurt 2024 and Singapore Smash 2025.

For Meshref, it is another challenge for the nine-time Africa Cup champion as she confronts Korean star Kim Nayeong in the first round of the Women’s Singles on Tuesday, March 11.

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Mabel Segun, a trailblazer in African female table tennis, passed away on Thursday, March 6, at the age of 95. Her family announced her demise in a statement issued on the same day.

“It is with gratitude to God for a life well spent in the pursuit of excellence in literature, broadcasting, and sports that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Mabel Dorothy Okanima Segun (née Aig-Imoukhuede),” the statement read.

Segun passed away in the early hours of March 6, 2025, and her funeral arrangements will be announced later. She is survived by her son, Gbenga Segun; her daughter, Omowunmi Segun; and many grandchildren.

Segun, formerly known as Miss Mabel Imokhuede, was among the first Nigerian female table tennis players to gain international recognition in the early 1950s. According to Nigerian table tennis historian Femi Olugbile, despite the initial exclusion of women from regional and national competitions in Africa, Segun’s first major exposure came in 1954 during the National Singles Championships, when the first female singles competition was introduced in Nigeria.

Olugbile described Segun as a pioneer of female table tennis in Nigeria. 

In his book “Ten Ahead,” he wrote: “The first female player of note to emerge in Nigeria was named Mabel Imokhuede (later to become Mrs. Segun).

She was a contemporary of the first set of players who came to national recognition in the early 1950s.

The first competitions held at both regional and national levels did not feature any women.

Segun’s first major exposure to the limelight was in 1954, when a female singles competition was formally introduced in the National Singles Championships.

There were not many players, as it was not common in those days for young ladies to participate in such activities, even for recreation.”

He added: “In the final match of the competition, Segun met Mrs. Hunt, the wife of one of the notable male players on the scene, who was an expatriate.

“She lost the match, but in doing so, she went into the records as the first indigenous Nigerian woman to attain that level of visibility in the game. Her example over time drew other ladies into the game.”

Segun’s illustrious career was marked by her role as a university graduate and a respected literary icon, serving as a role model for many Nigerian sportswomen.

Her athletic prowess earned her the University’s Table Tennis Half Colour, and she won numerous awards, including a gold medal in the doubles category in 1954. She continued to play table tennis competitively until the age of 58 in 1988.

Born on February 18, 1930, Segun was a true pioneer, breaking barriers throughout her distinguished career. She left behind a legacy of remarkable achievements and contributions to Nigerian society.

She was married to former ATTF President and ex-ITTF Deputy President, George Segun.

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Hana Goda and Omar Assar emerged the new champions of Africa at the 2025 ITTF Africa Cup, held in Tunis, Tunisia on Thursday.

While the younger Goda dethroned fellow Egyptian Dina Meshref 4-2 to clinch the Women’s Singles title, their compatriot, Assar, narrowly edged Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna in a 4-3 battle of the superstars of African table tennis in the Men’s Singles final matchup.

For three days, 50 players from Algeria, Benin Republic, Cameroon, Congo DR, Congo Brazzaville, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Egypt, Madagascar, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia, and Zambia competed in the tournament, which also served as qualifiers for the 2025 ITTF World Cup.

In the Women’s Singles, Goda started her day with a comeback win over Meshref. After falling behind 2-0, Goda rallied to win 4-2, reclaiming her title. Meshref initially dominated with scores of 11-9 and 11-5, but Goda regained her composure, winning the next four games 11-9, 11-6, 11-6, and 12-10.

A relieved Goda credited her mental coach for the comeback, stating, “I think the credit must go to my mental coach who advised me that even when I am down, I should never give up. This motivated me to come back in the game. I must also commend my opponent for putting up a good performance, and I am happy with the victory.”

In the Men’s Singles final, Assar had to dig deep to overcome defending champion Aruna in a close 4-3 match (11-3, 14-16, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6).

 After the match, Assar described his win as the most challenging of his career, saying, “This is the toughest tournament, and I am so exhausted from all the matches I played in Tunis. I thank my teammates and our host, Tunisia, for being a good host.”

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