Aruna, Goda battle for $300,000 prize at WTT Ljubljana

Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna and Egypt’s Hana Goda are among the top contenders vying for glory and a share of the $300,000 prize money at the WTT Star Contender Ljubljana 2025, which serves as a major stop on the global table tennis calendar.

Set to take place at the iconic Hala Tivoli arena in Slovenia, the tournament offers not only substantial prize money but also valuable ITTF World Ranking points. Winners in the singles category will earn $17,000 and 600 ranking points, while doubles champions will pocket $5,500 and the same number of points.

Africa’s top-ranked male player, Quadri Aruna, currently world No. 24, has been seeded 14th in the men’s singles draw and earned a bye into the second round (last 32). He will face either Japan’s Shunsuke Togami or China’s Xu Haidong on Friday, June 20, in what promises to be a thrilling encounter.

Likewise, Egyptian teenage sensation Hana Goda, ranked 15th in the women’s singles seeding, also received a bye into the second round. She is scheduled to play the winner between Sakura Yokoi of Japan and Joo Cheonhui of South Korea.

The tournament features a star-studded lineup across five events and is expected to be a showcase of top-tier global talent. Brazil’s Hugo Calderano, 2025 World Championships runner-up and defending Ljubljana champion, leads the men’s singles field. He is joined by notable names such as Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto (Doha 2025 winner), France’s Felix Lebrun (Montpellier 2024 champion), and Slovenia’s own Darko Jorgic.

In the women’s singles, Japan’s Miwa Harimoto, fresh off her win in Chennai, is among the favourites. Also competing are defending Ljubljana champion Hina Hayata, South Korea’s Shin Yubin, Romania’s Bernadette Szocs, and China’s Qian Tianyi.

With fierce competition, high stakes, and global attention, Quadri Aruna and Hana Goda carry Africa’s hopes in this prestigious tournament, aiming for deep runs and podium finishes in Ljubljana.