Nigeria’s table tennis icon, Quadri Aruna, has ended his campaign at the 2025 ITTF World Championships in Doha following a fourth-round defeat to Brazil’s Hugo Calderano on Thursday.
The much-anticipated clash at the Lusail Arena saw Calderano in top form, dispatching Aruna in straight sets: 11-4, 11-4, 11-4, and 11-6. The 22-minute contest highlighted Calderano’s precision and tactical intelligence, particularly his strategy of targeting Aruna’s backhand to blunt the Nigerian’s trademark forehand aggression.
Despite vocal support from his coaching team, Aruna struggled to turn the tide, committing several unforced errors as Calderano advanced to the quarter-finals with a composed and commanding performance.
The Brazilian, currently ranked among the world’s elite, acknowledged Aruna’s competitiveness after the match. “It’s never easy facing someone like Aruna,” Calderano said. “I needed time to recover after winning the World Cup last month, but I came into this focused. You have to be at your best to beat a player of his calibre.”
While the loss ends Aruna’s title hopes in Doha, his run remains a historic achievement. At 36, he became the first African player to reach the Round of 16 at the ITTF World Championships on two occasions and was the only African to make it that far in the Men’s Singles category this year.
Aruna’s performance once again cements his legacy as a trailblazer in African table tennis. His resilience, longevity, and unwavering commitment to excellence continue to inspire a new generation of athletes across Nigeria and the continent.
