Quadri Aruna kicked off his 2025 ITTF World Cup campaign with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Benin’s Abdel-Kader Salifou in one of the standout matches on day one of the tournament in Macao. The encounter, a rematch of their ITTF African Cup clash, featured momentum swings as both players demonstrated why they are among Africa’s elite.
Aruna, ranked 20th in the world, held his composure during key moments, particularly in the crucial fourth game, where Salifou led 8-6 before Aruna mounted a comeback to close out the match 11-8. “It is always tough to play the first match in these events,” said Aruna after the win. “Getting a 2-0 lead gave me confidence, but he came back strong. I stayed calm and held on, and I’m really happy with my performance.”
Salifou, making his return to international competition after a five-year hiatus, showed resilience despite the defeat. “I had chances to draw level, but credit to Aruna for fighting back,” he said. “I’ll keep giving my best and focus on the next match.”
Elsewhere, Egypt’s Hana Goda impressed with a dominant 4-0 win (11-2, 11-4, 11-4, 11-8) over Malaysia’s Seak Hui Li, while her compatriot Dina Meshref secured a 3-1 victory (11-9, 11-9, 11-5, 6-11) over Zhu Chengzhu in her eighth World Cup appearance.
Day one also saw solid performances from Japan’s Hiroto Shinozuka, Croatia’s Tomislav Pucar, and China’s Huang Youzheng, all posting straight-set victories. The biggest surprise of the day came from Eugene Wang’s 2-2 draw against Yukiya Uda.
