Lagos ITTF World Tour: Edem Offiong Not Ready To Play To The Gallery In Lagos

In 2013, Edem Offiong fought her way to the final but she could not finish up against her compatriot, Cecilia Otu-Akpan who beat her to the title. Against she worked to the quarterfinal of the women’s singles but she met her waterloo against Egypt’s Dina Meshref.

However, when the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Tour, Lagos Open serves off on March 10, Offiong is optimistic that same fate will not befall her this year.

From the start of this year, things have not been auguring well for her but what happened at the last ITTF Africa Senior Championship in Cairo would not prevent her from excelling. Offiong promises that the title will remain in Nigeria this time around.

“I am well prepared for this tournament because I have it in mind that I must do better this year. After the disappointing outing in Cairo, I returned to Nigeria and I rested for a week and since then I have been training hard in order to ensure that I make it to the podium this year. I am in good shape and I hope the home support will help me this year especially against the Egyptians and Portuguese Chinese-born player,” Offiong said.

Edem Offiong

The player who plies her trade in the Portuguese league said: “I know a lot of people have been talking about the quality of the Egyptian player but I want to let them know that the Chinese-born Portuguese is indeed a serious threat because she is the number one female player in the Portuguese league and she is a very strong player.”

Offiong, who made it to round of 16 at the 2014 Spanish Open in Almeria said she hopes to use the Lagos Open title to prepare herself for the this year’s German and Spanish Opens.

“I admits that it is not going to be easy like I expect because for anybody to clinch the title this year, such player must be at her best. Any player that is coming to Nigeria must understand that the atmosphere is always different from anywhere in the world because the fans are always there to cheer the host players and visitors must be ready to face this as well. I am sure this will work in my favour,” she added.

From being a runner’s up in 2013, Offiong was edged out in the quarterfinal of the women’s singles by Egypt’s Dina Meshref and the Nigerian believes this would not repeat itself again this time as she is ready to halt the dominance of the Egyptians in Lagos.

Nigeria’s Quadri Inspires GD Toledos To Lift Portuguese Cup

Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri helped GD Toledos to retain this year’s Portuguese table tennis Cup concluded at the weekend in Porto.

Quadri, who was bundled out in the quarterfinal of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Africa Senior Championship in Cairo, Egypt last month was in superb form at the two-day tournament without dropping a match.

Playing from the preliminary stage to the semifinal, Quadri supported by his Portuguese teammates showed class and this was reflected in their semifinal tie against Juncal, a match which they won 3-0.

However, they were faced with a Herculean task in the final as they were pitched against fans’ favourite, Sporting Lisbon.

Aruna Quadri with GD Toledos teammates after the Portuguese Cup title

As the biggest of their campaign in the tournament, Quadri team once again rose to the occasion despite dropping a game, they ensured that the cup remained with GD Toledos, as they won 3-1 to win the title for the third consecutive times.

An excited Quadri believes the success would surely spur him on for this week’s Kuwait Open.

“I feel so great winning the title again and team work materialized in delivering the Portuguese Cup once again. I have won the title thrice in a row and retaining the title again has increased my confidence for Qatar and Kuwait Opens.

I think this weekend matches in the Portuguese Cup has prepared for the next coming pro tours due to the fact that I played some tough matches,” he enthused.

Meanwhile, the defeat suffered in the men’s singles at the ITTF Africa Senior Championship held in Egypt has adversely affected the fortune of the ITTF Star Player in the February world rating released by the world table tennis ruling body at the weekend.

Aruna Quadri with GD Toledos teammates after the Portuguese Cup title

For bowing to Egypt’s Mohamed El-Beiali, Quadri dropped from 30 to 32 in the latest ranking while his conqueror improved in his rating from 195 to 179 in the world.

Also, for emerging as winner of the ITTF Africa Senior Championship, Egypt’s Omar Assar is ranked 43; a position which exceeds his previous best of 57 in July 2013.

The Oyo State-born athlete admitted that the slide in his world rating would help him to continue to work hard.

“My ranking going down is a wake-up call although I felt disappointed and at the same time I am happy that I gained more additional point to my ranking bonus points. It is a sign that I must work harder than before and I am finally happy that African is having two players in top 50 with Egypt’s Omar Assar now rated 43,” he said.

Aruna Quadri with GD Toledos teammates after the Portuguese Cup title

As the Kuwait Open, one of major series in the ITTF World Tours serves off on Wednesday February 11; Quadri will be campaigning from the qualifiers as the world’s top 16 will be competing from the main draw having been seeded by the organizers of the championship.

However, the 26-year-old Nigerian says he would be happy to exceed his previous outing at the tournament in Kuwait.

“I will be very happy if I can surpass my last year’s performance in the pro tour. I never qualified to the main draw in any major series of the ITTF World Tour and I will be glad if I can break that record in Kuwait and Germany Opens this year,” he added.

ITTF Africa Senior Championship: ITTF Hails Quadri Over Conduct After Surprised Defeat In Cairo

ITTF

For his sportsmanship conduct after his quarterfinal loss to Egypt’s Mohamed El-Beiali in the men’s singles event of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Africa Senior Championship, the world table tennis governing body, ITTF has described Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri as a perfect example for the game globally.

ITTF Publication Editor, Ian Marshall, said despite the narrow loss to the Egyptian, he exhibited maturity, which he described as an advantage to the sport worldwide.

“I am really thrilled with the way the young Nigeria conducted himself. It is usual with anybody that loses a crucial match to be angry. But despite his close defeat in the men’s singles, he found a place in his heart to hug his opponent in spite of the wild jubilation among the Egyptians. Even this is not even common with the best players in the world. But what Quadri has shown tonight really says a lot about him as an athlete. This is indeed a plus to table tennis,” Marshall said.

Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri

Even some of the Egyptians present during the epic encounter were thrilled by the Nigerian, whom they described as a true champion.

Baseem Mohammed said: “I am touched by Quadri’s loss despite being an Egyptian because he played and fought like a true champion. When he lost the first two games, you will never notice in his face that he was losing. He just focused on the match and had to level up to make it 2-2. If it had been other players, they would have given up and get frustrated during the match. But he was calm and was doing as if the game was 0-0. I am happy that it was my compatriot that won, but the manner in which Quadri approached the match showed that he is a good player and a well-cultured individual off the table. Some of us were moved by the way he went ahead and congratulated his opponent and also shook hands with the officials. This is a rare trait of a champion. For me, Quadri is a complete player that should be emulated by upcoming athletes not only in table tennis but in all sports,” the North African admitted.

ITTF Africa Senior Championships: Nigeria, Egypt In Team Event Finals

Just as it had been predicted, Nigeria and host – Egypt will battle for the top prize in the final of the team events at the ongoing International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Africa Senior championship in Cairo.

The two teams will battle for the gold in the men and women events of the championship.

To make it to the final of the women’s division, Nigeria walloped Algeria 3-0, while Egypt had a narrow escape against Congo Brazzaville in the thrilling semifinal tie which ended 3-2 in favour of the North Africans.

Omar Assar

In the men’s cadre, it was Ojo Onaolapo who started the rout against the Congo Brazzaville team made up of Nigeria’s trio of Saheed Idowu, Saka Suraju and Abiodun Lawal.

Idowu gave Onaolapo a run for his money as the game was stretched to five with the left-handed Onaolapo winning 3-2.

ITTF World Player of the year, Aruna Quadri did not disappoint the fans in the second match against Suraju as he whitewashed the ageing Congolese star 3-0 to put the game at 2-0 in favour of the West Africa power house.

Homegrown Kazeem Makanjuola had a torrid time against Lawal as the game was stretched to five but it was the Congolese that won 3-2 to put the match at 2-1.

Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri

To ensure that Nigeria sail through, Quadri completed the victory with a 3-0 win over Idowu.

On Sunday, the two finals will be played at the International Hall of Police Sports Association in Cairo.
Since the commencement of the competition, Quadri has not dropped any match, which table tennis buffs believe has confirmed his rating as world’s best.