Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna was the last African player standing at the 2025 ITTF World Cup in Macao, China, but his campaign ended in disappointment as he suffered a straight-sets defeat to Sweden’s Anton Kallberg, marking the continent’s complete exit from the tournament at the group stage.
Kallberg, who advanced from Stage 1 with a flawless 8–0 record, dispatched Aruna 4–0 (14–12, 13–11, 11–9, 11–2), using precise topspin shots and strategic positioning to neutralize the Nigerian’s powerful forehand.
“We’ve faced each other quite a bit, and I know how dangerous his forehand is,” said Kallberg after the match. “I’ve beaten him before, so I had a clear tactical plan.”
Aruna’s exit followed earlier group-stage eliminations of all other African representatives: Benin Republic’s Abdel-Kader Salifou, Egypt’s top-ranked Omar Assar, and women’s stars Dina Meshref and Hana Goda.
Assar, the reigning African champion, was outclassed 3–1 by South Korea’s Jeahyun An, whose aggressive two-winged play left little room for the Egyptian to counter.
In the women’s event, Meshref started strong but eventually lost 3–1 to China’s Man Kuai. Kuai acknowledged the challenge of facing a left-hander, praising Meshref’s skill. Teen sensation Hana Goda also exited after a 3–1 loss to Austria’s Sofia Polcanova, who spoke highly of the 17-year-old: “Hana is very talented and passionate. She has a bright future ahead.”
With Aruna’s loss, Africa’s campaign at the 2025 ITTF World Cup ended without a representative advancing beyond the group stage.
