Nigeria’s top-ranked table tennis star, Quadri Aruna, is set to lead the nation’s efforts at the upcoming 2025 ITTF World Championships Finals in Doha, Qatar.
The 2025 ITTF World Championships will see Nigerian athletes compete in singles and doubles events across both men’s and women’s categories from May 16 to 25.
Aruna, currently ranked 20th in the world and seeded 19th for the tournament, will be the main figure of Nigeria’s campaign in the men’s singles.
The 36-year-old table tennis icon has already made significant strides in his career, becoming the first African to reach the quarterfinals of the ITTF World Championships in 2021.
He is regarded as Nigeria’s strongest medal contender and will begin his journey in the Round of 128 against Brazil’s Vitor Ishiy on Saturday, May 17.
In addition to Quadri Aruna, the men’s singles draw includes Olajide Omotayo (ranked 103rd), Muizz Adegoke (203rd), and promising teenager Matthew Kuti (207th).
Omotayo will face Brazil’s Leonardo Iizuka, Adegoke will take on Belgium’s Adrien Rassenfosse, and Kuti is set to meet Poland’s Samuel Kulczycki, all on Sunday, May 18.
For the women’s singles, Nigeria will be represented by world number 91, Fatimo Bello, alongside Ajoke Ojomu (198th) and Hope Udoaka (301st).
Bello, the highest-ranked Nigerian woman, is poised for a challenging match against world number 22, Manika Batra of India.
Ojomu will also face a tough opponent in Sally Moyland of the United States, while Udoaka starts her campaign against Brazil’s Giulia Takahashi on May 17.
Nigeria’s presence will also be felt in the doubles events, featuring two men’s pairs, two women’s pairs, and two mixed doubles teams.
In the men’s doubles, Adegoke will partner with Abdulbasit Abdulfatai, achieving a Combined Pair Ranking (CPR) of 115, while Omotayo teams up with Kuti.
The women’s doubles will showcase Bello partnering with Udoaka, and Ojomu teaming up with Kabirat Ayoola. For the mixed doubles, Ojomu will play alongside Kuti, and Omotayo will partner with Ayoola.
