Reigning African table‑tennis champion Quadri Aruna will face teenage Japanese star Tomokazu Harimoto in the round of 16 of the men’s singles at the 2023 WTT Singapore Smash on Thursday, according to reports. Aruna earned his place in the knockout stage by overcoming French teenager Alexis Lebrun in a tightly contested five‑set match that lasted 38 minutes and 48 seconds at the OCBC Arena in Singapore Sports Hub on Tuesday.
The 33‑year‑old Nigerian dropped the first set 11‑8 but responded by taking the second set 11‑8 to level the match. He then surged ahead in the third set, outclassing Lebrun 11‑5, only for the French player to restore parity by winning the fourth set 11‑7. Aruna secured the decisive fifth set 11‑7, clinching his spot in the round of 16.
Although Aruna has yet to defeat Harimoto—having lost twice to him previously—he is determined to break the streak. “It was a very good comeback win for me and I want to keep the momentum and hopefully advance to the next round of the tournament,” he said after his victory. “It is always difficult playing against Harimoto because he is a very fast player. He is not only a tough opponent but also a good player capable of winning. Having played him twice on a big stage, I will try my best to bring him down this time because it’s a 50‑50 match for both of us; anybody can win. In this tournament, every player has an equal chance to win the title because we are all at the same level regardless of world ranking. I am happy with my performance and I hope I can do more.”
Aruna is now the sole African representative remaining in the competition after Egypt’s quartet—Omar Assar, Dina Meshref, Hana Goda and Mariam Alhodaby—exited early. Should he defeat Harimoto on Thursday, Aruna will meet the winner of the round‑of‑16 clash between Hugo Calderano and Darko Jorgic.
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