By Dauda Musbau
One name echoes more than any other at the mention of table tennis in Africa, and that person’s name is Aruna Quadri, one of Nigeria’s finest table tennis players.
Quadri, who for so long in 2025 held the number one position in Africa and 33rd in the world, now slipped into the 2nd and 34th position continentally and globally in the latest International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) world ranking released on the 9th of February, 2026.
ALSO READ: ITTF ranking: Nigeria’s Aruna retains African dominance, drops to 26th globally
Quadri lost his position to Egypt Omar Assar, who had been his rival for nearly a decade. Recent results showed how he struggled to maintain his consistency, which opened doors for Assar to overtake him in the world rankings.
Other Nigerian male table tennis players like Matthew Kuti, Abdulbasit Abdulfatai, Olajide Omotayo and Taiwo Mati have also been affected by the latest rankings.
