Nigeria and Africa’s No. 1 tennis player, Aruna Quadri, achieved a remarkable victory over Hugo Calderano, the world’s fifth-ranked player, at the World Table Tennis (WTT) finals in Doha on Wednesday.
Quadri was initially behind, losing the first two sets with scores of 7-11 and 2-11. However, he made an impressive comeback, winning the next three sets with scores of 11-9, 12-10, and 12-10.
This victory marks Quadri’s first win over Calderano, an opponent he had previously been unable to defeat.
The Brazilian player had beaten Quadri twice before and seemed set to do so again until the tide turned in the third set. Quadri then maintained his lead for the next two sets, securing his position in the quarterfinals of the competition.
After the game, Quadri expressed his elation, saying, “I cannot describe how it feels, but I’m very happy and excited.”
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He attributed his success to his coach’s encouragement, stating, “My coach was telling me, ‘don’t give up and keep fighting’; one set could actually 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.”
The 35-year-old Nigerian player is now set to face an even tougher challenge. On Thursday, he will compete against the world’s No. 1 player, China’s Fan Zhendong, in the quarterfinals.