Quadri Aruna listed for 2025 ITTF Africa Cup
Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna and Egypt’s Dina Meshref will be aiming to retain their titles at the 2025 ITTF Africa Cup, which takes place in Tunis, Tunisia, from 25 to 27 February.
Apart from the trophies, players will also compete for qualification spots at the 2025 ITTF World Cup in Macao, China, scheduled for April.
As the first major event on the ITTF Africa calendar, the tournament is expected to be highly competitive, with some of the best players from across the continent arriving in Tunisia. The top four players in both the men’s and women’s categories will secure automatic qualification for the ITTF World Cup.
The competition will be held at the El-Menzah Sports Palace, a venue with a capacity of 5,500 spectators. Players will compete for a total prize pool of $25,000 over the three-day event.
Fierce Rivalry Between Aruna and Assar
Aruna, a five-time winner of the tournament (2024, 2017, 2016, 2014, and 2009), will continue his long-standing rivalry with Egypt’s Omar Assar, who has also won the title five times (2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, and 2015). However, Aruna has reached more finals than his Egyptian counterpart.
Other strong contenders include Benin’s Abdel-Kabir Salifou, Congo Brazzaville’s Saheed Idowu, and Tunisia’s Wassim Essid, who will be looking to upset the favourites.
Tough Competition in the Women’s Event
In the women’s category, nine-time champion Dina Meshref will defend her title against Egypt’s rising star Hana Goda, who is currently ranked as Africa’s number one female player. Also in contention is Mariam Alhodaby, the 2024 runner-up.
Organisers Promise Exciting Tournament
Tunisia Table Tennis Federation President, Lotfi Guerfel, assured that all necessary arrangements have been made to host a successful event.
“We have organised several major competitions before, and we always work on improving based on past experiences. Every detail, from logistics to live streaming, has been carefully planned,” he said.
ITTF Africa President, Wahid Enitan Oshodi, highlighted the tournament’s importance in developing African table tennis.
“The level of table tennis in Africa has grown significantly in recent years. This competition provides an opportunity for both established and upcoming players to showcase their talent,” Oshodi stated.
The 2025 ITTF Africa Cup will begin with preliminary matches on the first day, followed by knockout rounds over the next two days. The semi-finalists will automatically qualify for the ITTF Singles World Cup in Macao, China, taking place from 14 to 20 April 2025.
