Quadri Aruna Now Africa's Highest-ranked Table Tennis Star, Rises To 18th In World

Nigeria's Quadri Aruna has reached a new milestone in his career, becoming Africa's highest-ranked table tennis player in the latest ITTF rankings released on Tuesday.

Quadri Aruna, who was previously ranked 19th, moved up to 18th place, overtaking Egypt's Omar Assar, who slipped from 17th to 19th. Denmark's Jonathan Groth claimed the 17th spot, pushing Assar down in the rankings.

Despite finishing runner-up at the 2025 ITTF Africa Cup, Aruna's stellar performances in WTT tournaments have boosted his global standing. He remains the only African male player to reach the semi-finals of the WTT Contender Doha, a feat he has now accomplished twice, in 2023 and again in January 2024.

The Nigerian star is set to compete in the WTT Contender Chennai in India from March 23 to 30, a tournament that could further impact his global ranking.

In the women's rankings, Egypt's Hana Goda continued her dominance as Africa's top-ranked female player, rising one place to 26th. Her compatriot Dina Meshref stayed at 33rd, maintaining her position as the continent's second-best female player.