Quadri Aruna Reclaims Africa’s Top Spot in Table Tennis Rankings
Nigerian table tennis star Quadri Aruna is back as Africa’s highest-ranked player. In the latest International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) world rankings released on Tuesday, March 18, he surpassed Egypt’s Omar Assar to reclaim the No. 1 spot on the continent.
A Strong Comeback
Aruna now holds the 18th position globally in the Week 12 rankings. Despite finishing as the runner-up at the 2025 ITTF Africa Cup, his impressive performances in recent World Table Tennis (WTT) tournaments played a key role in boosting his ranking.
Notably, he remains the only African male player to reach the semifinals of the WTT Contender Doha. He repeated this achievement in 2025, just as he did in 2023, solidifying his place among the best.
Shifts in the Rankings
Aruna’s rise from 19th to 18th globally pushed Assar down to second place in Africa. Even though Assar won the 2025 ITTF Africa Cup, he dropped from 17th to 19th in the world rankings. Denmark’s Jonathan Groth moved up from 18th to claim Assar’s former position at 17th.
Meanwhile, Egypt’s Mohamed El-Beiali climbed to 45th place after reaching the quarterfinals of the 2025 ITTF Africa Cup, making him Africa’s third-highest-ranked male player.
Nigeria’s Omotayo Olajide also made strides, re-entering the top 100 at 98th place after moving up four spots. Additionally, Muizz Adegoke and Monday Kuti both improved their standings, now ranked 197th and 200th, respectively.
Women’s Rankings
In the women’s category, Egypt’s Hana Goda remains Africa’s top-ranked female player. She moved up one spot to 26th in the Week 12 rankings. Her fellow Egyptian, Dina Meshref, stayed at 33rd, holding her position as Africa’s second-best female player. Nigeria’s highest-ranked female player, Fatima Bello, is currently at 93rd.
Global Leaders
On the world stage, China’s Wang Chuqin remains the second-best male player, just behind Lin Shidong, who continues to lead the rankings. Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto climbed to third place after reaching the semifinals at the WTT Champions Chongqing, overtaking China’s Liang Jingkun.
In the women’s rankings, China’s Sun Yingsha held onto the No. 1 spot after successfully defending her title at the WTT Champions Chongqing.
