Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna has retained his crown as Africa’s top-ranked table tennis player, despite slipping three places to 26th in the latest International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) world rankings released on Tuesday.
Aruna now sits on 1,185 ranking points, keeping him ahead of long-time continental rival Omar Assar of Egypt, who remains 33rd on 930 points. The Nigerian’s position highlights his consistency over the past year, even as he battles to rediscover his best form.
The 35-year-old suffered an early setback last week, losing to Assar in the round of 64 at the WTT Europe Smash in Sweden. However, the ITTF ranking system rewards accumulated performances over 12 months, meaning earlier successes continue to sustain his place among the elite.
Among those performances, Aruna’s runner-up finish at the 2025 ITTF African Cup in Tunis delivered a vital 350 points. He also bagged 210 points after reaching the semi-finals of the WTT Star Contender in Doha and 175 points for a round of 16 finish at the ITTF World Championships earlier this year.
However, many of those results are approaching expiration, which raises the stakes for Aruna in the coming months. Analysts believe his reduced participation in recent tournaments leaves him vulnerable to a further slip if he fails to add fresh points.
While Aruna continues to lead Africa, other Nigerian players are struggling to keep pace. Matthew Kuti dropped four places to 200th with 89 points, while Abdulbasit Abdulfatai slipped three places to 206th on 81 points.
Former African Games gold medalist Olajide Omotayo fared even worse, sliding six spots to 212th, while Taiwo Mati also fell back to 221st. In contrast, Muizz Adegoke provided a rare bright spot, climbing two positions to 232nd.
The decline was not limited to the men’s game. Nigeria’s women players also recorded setbacks in the latest update. Fatimo Bello held steady as the nation’s top female player, sitting 122nd on 189 points.
Behind her, however, the picture was less encouraging. Ajoke Ojomu fell to 158th, Aminat Fashola slipped to 186th, and Sukurat Aiyelabegan dropped to 211th. Only a handful of Nigerian women ranked between fifth and tenth showed any upward movement.
Globally, the dominance of Chinese stars remains unchallenged. Sun Yingsha extended her lead at the top of the women’s rankings to a record 12,200 points after capturing the WTT Europe Smash title in Sweden.
In the men’s standings, Lin Shidong and Wang Chuqin continue to lead the way, with Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto and Brazil’s Hugo Calderano completing the top four, underlining Asia and South America’s growing influence in the sport.
The ITTF world rankings are updated weekly, taking into account the best eight results for each player across a rolling 12-month period. With points from high-tier events carrying more weight, consistency and regular participation remain crucial for any player aiming to stay among the game’s top performers.
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