Nigeria table tennis star, Quadri Aruna and the reigning African Cup men’s singles champion, will defend his title at the 2025 competition in Tunisia. He will also compete for a ticket at the 2025 ITTF World Cup in Macao, China.
Taking place in the 5,500-seat El-Menzah Sports Palace in Tunis from February 25 to 27, the 2025 ITTF African Cup will guarantee spots for the women’s and men’s semi-finalists at the expanded ITTF World Cup in April.
Aruna is among the continent’s top stars billed to take part in the first tournament of the ITTF Africa calendar and will renew his long-time rivalry with Egypt’s Omar Assar.
Aruna, the most decorated player in the tournament’s history, has won the title five times (2024, 2017, 2016, 2014, and 2009). Assar has also claimed the title five times (2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, and 2015), but Aruna has appeared in more finals.
Other notable players include Benin’s Abdel-Kabir Salifou, Congo Brazzaville’s Saheed Idowu, and Tunisia’s Wassim Essid, who will be looking to cause upsets.
On the women’s side, nine-time champion Dina Meshref will defend her crown against rising star and compatriot Hana Goda, the continent’s number-one ranked player, and 2024 runner-up Mariam Alhodaby.
President of ITTF Africa, Enitan Oshodi, has expressed optimism about the competitiveness of the tournament.
“The level of table tennis in Africa has grown exponentially over the last few years. This tournament is not only a platform for established players but also an opportunity for young talents to make a name for themselves.”
The ITTF Africa Cup 2025 will feature a preliminary round on the opening day, followed by knockout stages on the final two days.
President of the Tunisia Table Tennis Federation, Lotfi Guerfel, has promised an exciting event with live-streaming of matches.
“TTTF is well-prepared to host these significant events in Africa. Our team has accumulated extensive experience through previously hosted tournaments. We consistently seek feedback from all stakeholders to enhance the success of our future events. Our readiness to host the Africa Cup is rooted in meticulous planning and organisation, starting with establishing various committees with clear roles and responsibilities and ensuring all logistics, especially high-quality equipment, are in place. We will ensure our technology team is ready to broadcast the event online for remote audiences and provide updates through our dedicated platform.”
