Quadri Aruna began his 2025 ITTF World Cup campaign with a gritty 3-1 (11-6, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8) win over Benin’s Abdel-Kader Salifou in one of the headline matches on day one of the tournament in Macao.
The tie, a rematch of their ITTF African Cup encounter, was filled with momentum shifts as both players showed flashes of why they are among the continent’s finest. Aruna, however, held his nerve at critical moments, fending off a comeback from Salifou to grab the victory.
“It is always tough to play the first match in these events,” said Aruna afterwards. “Getting a 2-0 lead gave me some confidence. He came back strongly in the third and fourth games, but I stayed calm and held on. I am really happy and satisfied with my performance.”
The Nigerian, ranked 20th in the world, had to dig deep, especially in the fourth game, where Salifou led 8-6 before Aruna rallied back to close out the tie. The win sets Aruna on a firm footing as he looks to advance from the group stage in this revamped World Cup format.
Salifou, who was making only his second appearance for Benin after a five-year absence from the international scene, showed sharpness and resolve despite the loss. “I had chances to draw level. I was leading 8-6 in the fourth, but credit to Aruna for fighting back,” he noted. “I will keep giving my best and focus on the next match.”
Elsewhere, Africa’s other major representative, Egypt’s Hana Goda, cruised to a 4-0 (11-2, 11-4, 11-4, 11-8) win over Malaysia’s Seak Hui Li. Goda, fresh off her African Cup triumph, delivered a commanding performance, never allowing her opponent a foothold in the match.
Egypt’s Dina Meshref also began her campaign positively with a 3-1 (11-9, 11-9, 11-5, 6-11) victory over Zhu Chengzhu, showing her experience in her eighth World Cup appearance.
Day one featured other performances across the board, including Japan’s Hiroto Shinozuka, Croatia’s Tomislav Pucar, and China’s Huang Youzheng, all posting straight-set victories. Eugene Wang’s 2-2 draw against Yukiya Uda stood out as the day’s biggest surprise.
