February 27, (THEWILL) – Nigerian table tennis player Aruna Quadri suffered defeat in the 2025 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Africa Cup final, losing 4-3 to Egyptian rival Omar Assar on Thursday at the Palais des Sports d’El Menzah in Tunis, Tunisia.

The tightly contested match featured multiple momentum shifts before Assar prevailed in the decisive final set.

The 36-year-old Nigerian began poorly, dropping the opening set 11-3, but fought back impressively to claim the second set 16-14.

The pattern continued throughout the match with both players exchanging victories in subsequent sets, creating a dramatic conclusion that ultimately favoured the Egyptian competitor.

For Quadri, this defeat marks his third ITTF Africa Cup final loss to Assar, following similar disappointments in the 2022 and 2023 editions of the tournament.

Despite entering the competition as defending champion after his victory in Rwanda last year, the Nigerian star was unable to retain his title.

Despite the disappointment, Quadri qualified for the 2025 ITTF World Cup in Macau, China.

His progression to the semi-finals of the Africa Cup ensured his place in the prestigious global competition later this year.

The final proved to be another chapter in what has become one of the most compelling rivalries in African table tennis, with Assar once again emerging victorious against his Nigerian counterpart in a championship setting.