Izuchukwu OkosiFormer Nigerian Olympic Games table tennis star Aruna Quadri rues his exit from the ongoing 2024 World Table Tennis Men’s Finals in Doha, Qatar, but is quick to point out what affected his progression in the competition.
Quadri who featured in the 2012, 2016 and 2020 Olympics for Nigeria defeated Brazil’s number one table tennis men’s player, Hugo Calderano, in the round of 16 but was unable to replicate the same form against Fan Zhendong.
The world’s number one star defeated Quadri 3-0 (11-6, 11-9, 11-4) at the Lusail Sports Arena, Doha in just 20 minutes.
The Nigerian who was aiming to become the first African to reach the semi-finals at the WTT Finals was however gracious in defeat and also heaped plaudits on his efforts.
“I’m very happy and satisfied with my performance,” Quadri said after his defeat.
“Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be. Probably, if I had won a set of things may have changed a bit. I’m always positive against him, so it’s very possible I beat him someday.
“I came well prepared in the first set, but my forehand was totally not working. I lost so many points in the first set and that was not normal,” the experienced Nigerian who was playing in the quarter-finals of the tournament for the second time after his feat in 2021 told the media.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
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