The reigning African tennis champion and one of the most prominent table tennis players in the world, Aruna Quadri, has embarked on a significant career move by joining Saudi Arabia’s Khaleej Table Tennis Club.
Veteran player Quadri was last attached to Fakel-Gazprom Orenburg in Russia, having joined the club in January. He has, however, chosen to leave shortly after defending his senior African title at the ITTF Africa Cup against Egyptian star Ahmed Saleh.
Aruna, who’s the tournament’s number one seed, overwhelmed Saleh in the final clash with a convincing 4-0 win to hold on to the title he won last year in Algeria.
The 35-year-old, who has fallen to 16th place in the world rankings, joins Al-Khaleej, where he will hope to feature prominently over the next two years. This adds Saudi Arabia to his impressive CV, which has already seen him play for clubs in France and Portugal.
Aruna Quadri meanwhile has been joined in Saudi Arabia by long-time rival Egyptian star Omar Assar, who joined Al-Ittihad recently. Both men will continue their rivalry in the oil-rich country.
The move underscores the growing global appeal of the sport and the attractiveness of Saudi Arabia as a destination for top-tier talent.
His arrival is expected to elevate the level of competition and inspire emerging talents within Saudi Arabia’s vibrant table tennis community.
Quadri however becomes the latest Nigerian athlete to move to the country after footballers Henry Onyekuru, Odion Ighalo, Ashleigh Plumptre, and Saviour Godwin in the last few months.
Sportsbeep 