Egyptian table tennis star Omar Assar outlasted Nigeria’s defending champion, Quadri Aruna, in a thrilling seven-set battle to win the Men’s Singles title at the 2025 ITTF Africa Cup in Tunisia.
Assar secured a hard-fought 4-3 victory (11-3, 14-16, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6), winning his sixth Africa Cup title.
Both Assar and Aruna entered the final with five ITTF Africa Cup titles each, but it was the Egyptian who emerged victorious in a dramatic contest. After the match, Assar described his win as one of the most challenging of his career.
Read Also: Quadri Aruna secures spot for 2025 ITTF World Cup
“This is the toughest tournament, and I am so exhausted from all the matches I played in Tunis,” Assar said. “I thank my teammates and our host, Tunisia, for being a good host.”
In the Women’s Singles final, Egypt’s Hana Goda dethroned compatriot Dina Meshref with a comeback 4-2 victory. After losing the first two games (9-11, 5-11), Goda fought back to win the next four (11-9, 11-6, 11-6, 12-10), reclaiming her title.
A relieved Goda credited her mental coach for helping her turn the match around.
“I think the credit must go to my mental coach, who advised me that even when I am down, I should never give up,” Goda said. “This motivated me to come back in the game. I must also commend my opponent for putting up a good performance, and I am happy with the victory.”
The three-day tournament featured 50 players from across Africa, including Algeria, Benin Republic, Cameroon, DR Congo, Congo Brazzaville, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Egypt, Madagascar, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia, and Zambia. It also served as a qualifier for the 2025 ITTF World Cup.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
