Quadri Aruna Beats British Champion Liam Pitchford In WTT Star Contender

Nigerian table tennis icon, Quadri Aruna started 2025 on a strong note with a remarkable victory on Thursday, January 9, by defeating British champion Liam Pitchford.

Quadri Aruna’s win over Pitchford allowed him to progress to the third round of the men’s singles at the WTT Star Contender Doha in Qatar.

In an earlier match, Egypt’s Dina Meshref faced a tough challenge against China’s Chen Yi, resulting in her exit from the women’s singles in the second round after a competitive 3-1 loss.

As the sole African representative and the fifth seed in the tournament, Quadri Aruna skillfully adapted to Pitchford’s playing style, successfully avoiding an early elimination.

Although he dropped the first game 10-12, Aruna showcased his resilience by winning the subsequent three games, each ending 11-9, securing his advancement to the third round.

Next, Aruna will take on Spain’s Alvaro Robles, who also progressed by defeating a Japanese opponent in his second-round match.

The men’s singles draw witnessed a significant upset, as the third seed, Patrick Franziska from Germany, was knocked out in the round of 32. Although Franziska initially led his match against Park Ganghyeon of the Korea Republic, he ultimately fell short with a tight 3-2 finish (9-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8).

Frenchman Thibault Poret continued to impress in Doha, achieving a notable victory over No.14 seed Lim Jonghoon of the Korea Republic (11-6, 9-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8), marking his first advancement to the round of 16 at the WTT Star Contender stage.

In the women’s singles, Britt Eerland celebrated her progress to the last 16 following a commendable 3-1 win against number 14 seed Manika Batra from India (10-12, 11-8, 11-8, 11-3). Ireland demonstrated her ability to overcome an early setback and maintained her momentum to secure three consecutive game wins.

Romania’s Bernadette Szocs displayed remarkable determination by coming from behind to triumph over China’s Zong Geman in a thrilling five-game match (3-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9), reflecting her fighting spirit and commitment to the competition.