The journey for Africa’s top table tennis talents came to a premature end at the 2025 ITTF World Cup in Macao, China, as Dina Meshref, Omar Assar, Hana Goda, and Quadri Aruna were all eliminated in the group stage of the prestigious tournament.
Despite strong showings and flashes of brilliance, none of the African representatives could advance to the second round, facing tough opponents from Asia and Europe.
Omar Assar Falls to Tactical Jaehyun
Omar Assar, reigning ITTF Africa Cup Champion, was the first to bow out, suffering a 3-1 loss to South Korea’s Cho Daeseong Jaehyun in a tactical and fast-paced battle.
“I played well today. Assar is an excellent player, so I did a lot of pre-match preparations, and it seems I executed them well,” Jaehyun said after the match.
Assar gave his all but could not match the South Korean’s precision and consistency, bringing his campaign to a close.
Dina Meshref’s Brave Fight Ends in Defeat
Dina Meshref, Africa’s top female player, put up a valiant performance against China’s Man Kuai, but ultimately succumbed 3-1 in a closely fought match.
“It’s our first encounter, and my opponent is a leftie with great strength. At the beginning of the first game, I played too cautiously, which gave Meshref a huge opportunity to win,” Kuai admitted.
“After losing game 1, I didn’t give up and focused on each point.”
Meshref had earlier won the first set, signaling a potential upset, but the Chinese star recovered quickly to control the rest of the game.
Hana Goda Impresses Despite Loss to Polcanova
Young Egyptian prodigy Hana Goda was up against Austrian-European heavyweight Sofia Polcanova and gave a spirited performance but fell short 3-1.
“Today was a very difficult match. Hana Goda is a very good player, very promising,” said Polcanova.
“She’s still so young and has many good results. I had to fight for every ball. In the end, I think I managed my nerves quite well.”
Polcanova also praised Goda’s passion and attitude, expressing confidence in her future:
“I also like her very much; we practice a lot on tour. She is very passionate about table tennis. I hope she continues to be her best.”
Quadri Aruna’s Hopes Dashed by Sweden’s Källberg
Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna, one of Africa’s most celebrated table tennis stars, faced a tough challenge in Anton Källberg of Sweden. Despite showing flashes of control early in the match, Aruna lost 4-0, marking a disappointing end to his campaign.
Källberg capitalized on unforced errors and maintained composure in key rallies, leaving Aruna unable to build on his momentum from the first two sets.
Though the continent’s top players exited earlier than hoped, their performances on the world stage continue to show the growing strength of African table tennis.
With talents like Goda emerging and veterans like Aruna and Meshref holding their ground against global powerhouses, the future of African table tennis remains bright.
The 2025 ITTF World Cup may not have brought medals home, but it offered valuable lessons and renewed focus as Africa gears up for the rest of the global calendar.
