Recently updated on June 3rd, 2020 at 02:35 pm
Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri and Egypt’s Dina Meshref emerge winners of the men and women’s singles event at the 2018 ITTF African Championships in Mauritius.
According to a statement by ATTF-Africa, Aruna Quadri did not drop a point from the first round until the final to win his first African Championships title.
Aruna defeated veteran and three time champion, Egypt’s Ahmed Ali Saleh (11-7, 6-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-1). The victory came one month after he won the 2018 ITTF Challenge Seamaster Nigeria Open in Lagos.
In Agadir two years ago, Aruna was the runner-up.
Aruna in the semi-final in Mauritius had beaten compatriot Olajide Omotayo (11-9, 11-6, 11-5, 11-3), while Ahmed Ali Saleh accounted for Nigeria’s 44 year-old Segun Toriola (8-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8, 11-3, 11-9).
Dina Meshref, who lost the title to Nigeria’s Olufunke Oshonaike in 2016, reclaimed her title after a convincing 4-0 win over compatriot, Reem El-Eraky in the women’s singles final.
In the words of Aruna Quadri on emerging victorious at the 2018 ITTF African Championship:
“I am so happy that I was able to win this title for the first time having come close in 2016.
My next target is the All African Games title because the likes of Segun Toriola and Omar Assar have won this and I am hoping that I can win this as well.
I think I have won virtually all the titles in Africa, the only one I am still hungry to win is the African Games’ title which I believe I will continue to work hard in order to win it next year in Morocco.
I am happy that I am winning this African Championships title for the first time, particularly less than one month after I won the ITTF Challenge Nigeria Open in Lagos.
I am grateful to my Mauritian fans for their support throughout my matches.”
“I am happy winning my title back but it was not an easy task, particularly with the match against Edem Offiong.
But in all I am happy as I look forward to the ITTF World Cup which is my next tournament this year.”
