Aruna’s loss seals World Cup heartbreak for Africa

Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna was the last African to exit the 2025 ITTF World Cup in Macao, China, as the continent’s campaign came to a disappointing end following group stage eliminations for all representatives,  The PUNCH reports.

The second-ranked African player fell in straight sets to Sweden’s Anton Kallberg, who delivered a clinical 4–0 (14–12, 13–11, 11–9, 11–2) win to advance from Stage 1 with a perfect record of eight victories.

Kallberg, a quarter finalist in last year’s edition, kept the Nigerian at bay with a mix of sharp topspin strokes and calculated positioning that limited Aruna’s forehand impact.

“We’ve played quite a few times recently and know each other well,” said Kallberg. “He is really strong with a big forehand, so I had to be careful. I’ve beaten him in the past, so I had a clear idea of the tactics I wanted to use.”

Aruna’s defeat followed the earlier exits of Benin Republic’s Abdel-Kader Salifou, Egypt’s Omar Assar, Dina Meshref, and Hana Goda, ending Africa’s representation at the global tournament.

Assar, Africa’s top-ranked player and the reigning ITTF Africa Cup champion, was outplayed 3–1 by South Korea’s Jeahyun An. An’s aggressive style from both wings kept Assar on the defensive, and though the Egyptian claimed the fourth game, it proved only a consolation.

In the women’s event, Meshref lost 3–1 to China’s Man Kuai, despite a strong start that saw her take the first set. Kuai praised her opponent, noting the difficulty in adapting to Meshref’s left-handed play.

Hana Goda, the teenage sensation from Egypt, also fell 3–1 to European star Sofia Polcanova. The Austrian praised Goda’s potential, saying, “Hana is a very good player, very promising. We practise a lot on tour and she’s very passionate. A bright future is ahead of her.”