Nigeria’s top table tennis star, Quadri Aruna, has been forced to pull out of the Men’s Singles event at the 2024 ITTF Africa Championships in Addis Ababa due to a thigh injury and fatigue.
The tournament’s No. 2 seed, Aruna, made the tough decision after feeling discomfort during the team event and his second-round match.
Despite leading Nigeria to a gold medal victory in the team event against Algeria on October 14, Aruna was unable to continue his singles run, withdrawing from his match against Benin’s Dodji Fanny.
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He cited fatigue and injury after an intense schedule of back-to-back tournaments over the past two months.
“I’ve been playing in various tournaments across different time zones—India, Macau, China, and Saudi Arabia.
After a brief rest at home, I went straight to a training camp in the French League and then traveled to Ethiopia.
The high altitude in Addis Ababa made it even harder to acclimatize,” Aruna explained.
He revealed that during the team event, he experienced pain in his buttock and tightness in his hamstring, prompting his withdrawal to avoid further injury. “It’s crucial to rest now to avoid worsening the injury,” he said.
With major tournaments still ahead this year, including two WTT Champions events and league matches in Saudi Arabia and France, Aruna emphasized the need for recovery to ensure his readiness for the remainder of the season.
Although he won’t be competing in the singles, Aruna will remain with the Nigerian team to support the younger players before departing Addis Ababa with them this weekend.
His decision to prioritize recovery underscores his determination to maintain peak performance in the months to come.
