Nigeria’s top-ranked table tennis player, Aruna Quadri, anticipates a challenging match as he prepares to face China’s World No.1, Fan Zhendong, in the quarter-finals of the ongoing World Table Tennis men’s finals in Doha, Qatar, on Thursday, as reported by The PUNCH.
Quadri, who staged a comeback from two sets down to defeat Brazil’s Hugo Calderano 3-2 in the round of 16 on Wednesday, has never secured a victory against Zhendong. Zhendong, in turn, overcame an early setback to triumph over Darko Jorgic of Serbia in a tense five-set thriller.
Reflecting on the prospect of facing Zhendong, Quadri remarked, “I’ve never won against Zhendong, so facing any one of them will be a good challenge for me. I believe I can give my best tomorrow (today) and see how it will go. It’s very important to enjoy it. But I just have to bask in the euphoria of my victory against Calderano, which is one of the greatest achievements in my career so far.”
Quadri expressed gratitude to his Tunisian coach, Hachmi Abid, for the support during the challenging match, stating, “My coach was telling me not to give up and keep fighting. One set could make a difference, and it did make a big difference. I listen to him very much. I believe so much in him, and I was just doing what he told me to do.”
Excited to represent Africa, Nigeria, and his fans worldwide, Quadri looks forward to the upcoming matches in the tournament.