Nigerian table tennis star, Quadri Aruna, defeated British champion Liam Pitchford to advance to the third round of the men’s singles at the WTT Star Contender in Doha, Qatar on Thursday, January 9.
In an earlier match in the women’s singles, Egypt’s Dina Meshref exited the competition after a 3-1 defeat to China’s Chen Yi in the second round.
As the tournament’s fifth seed and Africa’s sole remaining competitor, Aruna managed to adapt to Pitchford’s challenging play style, avoiding an early elimination.
Despite dropping the first game 10-12, he rallied with three consecutive victories, all by identical 11-9 margins, securing his place in the next stage.
Aruna’s next challenge comes in the form of Spain’s Alvaro Robles, who advanced to the third round with a victory over a Japanese opponent in the second round.
Elsewhere in the men’s singles draw, a major upset unfolded when third seed Patrick Franziska of Germany was knocked out 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).
Meanwhile, French player Thibault Poret continued his remarkable campaign, defeating No.14 seed Lim Jonghoon of the Korea Republic in an intense five-game match (11-6, 9-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8) to reach his first-ever round of 16 at a WTT Star Contender event.
In the women’s singles, Britt Eerland made a strong statement by reaching the last 16 with a 3-1 triumph over India’s No.14 seed Manika Batra (10-12, 11-8, 11-8, 11-3).
After losing the opening game, Eerland staged a stunning comeback to claim three straight victories.
Romanian star Bernadette Szocs also showcased her grit and determination, overturning a deficit to defeat China’s Zong Geman in five thrilling games (3-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9), earning her spot in the next round.
