Nigeria’s table tennis star Aruna Quadri has won bronze at the 2026 ITTF Africa Cup in Benghazi, Libya, securing qualification for the 2026 ITTF World Cup in Macao, China.
Quadri’s bid to reclaim the Africa Cup title ended in the semi-finals after a tense seven-set defeat to Algeria’s Medhdi Bouloussa at the Al-Nasr Sports, Cultural and Social Club.
Seven-Set Semi-Final Thriller
The five-time champion was aiming for a record sixth Africa Cup title, having previously won the tournament in 2009 (Rabat), 2014 (Lagos), 2016 (Khartoum), 2017 (Agadir), and 2024 (Kigali).
He breezed through the group stage, round of 16, and quarter-finals, a run that confirmed his qualification for the ITTF World Cup even before the semi-final clash.
But his journey toward another continental crown came to a dramatic halt against Bouloussa in a nervy 4–3 defeat (11-9, 11-6, 8-11, 11-7, 8-11, 8-11, 11-7).
The Algerian raced into a two-set lead before Quadri responded in the third. Bouloussa claimed the fourth set, but the Nigerian fought back strongly to win the fifth and sixth sets and force a decider.
However, Quadri could not complete the comeback, as Bouloussa held his nerve to take the final set and seal victory.
World Cup Spot Secured
Despite narrowly missing out on the title, Quadri’s semi-final finish was enough to earn him a place at the 2026 ITTF World Cup in Macao.
The tournament will once again see Nigeria’s most decorated table tennis player compete against the best in the world, continuing his long-standing presence on the global stage.
While the Africa Cup trophy slipped away this time, Quadri’s consistency at the highest level remains a major boost for Nigerian table tennis.
