“Always give your best in every situation and never give up,”

Aruna Quadri has remained a consistent figure in Africa’s table tennis circuit, his prominence and dominating influence extending beyond the continent where he is ranked No.18 in the world by the International Table Tennis Federation. Aruna Quadri’s triumph as Africa’s current number one table tennis player is deserving of celebration, the example of his success offering lessons in consistency and hard work for young people in sports, particularly Nigerians and Africans. Again, Quadri’s attainment of the preeminent spot in African table tennis offers lessons that inspire, capable of nurturing winners in sports, business, politics, and elsewhere.

Speaking about his constancy, Aruna underlines a career marked by discipline and self-belief. In a 2018 post on X (formerly Twitter), he remarked: “Always give your best in every situation and never give up,” adding, “always believe in yourself even when they don’t believe in you.” Quadri’s mental power and philosophy of life continues to inspire his thousands of followers across social media and elsewhere.

Previously ranked 11th in the world in 2022, Aruna Quadri was also ranked 10th in May of the same year, his best ranking so far that earned him the distinguished honor of being the first African player to enter the top 10 category. A 2019 Nigeria Open men’s single champion, Quadri also captured world attention with a remarkable feat in 2017.
With a 4-2 win over Japan’s Kali Yoshida, Quadri made history as the first African to win the highly competitive Polish Open ITTF Challenge. His outstanding triumph reaffirmed his talents, influence and place in global table tennis. A veteran of the London, Rio, Tokyo, and Paris Olympic Games, and with several international tournament participations under his belt, Quadri is no stranger to high stake games and big names in table tennis. Quadri has battled some of the finest players in the game and emerged victorious. For many, in defeat and success, he has remained a hero, one of the finest global ambassadors to have emerged out of Africa.

Aruna Quadri is an attacking dynamo around the table, defining his playing style with offensive strokes that often leave his opponents exhausted and breathless. There are no dull moments watching Quadri take on opponents, his game offering pleasure and tension in equal measures. He is a right-handed player with power in his forehand serve, a key feature of his dynamic playing style and path to global prominence.

In 2023 at the Singapore Smash at the Infinity Arena, Quadri made full use of his celebrated strengths to overwhelm world-renowned Tomokazu Harimoto. Quadri caused a tournament upset, beating the highly regarded Japanese in three straight games of 11-7, 13-11, and 11-7.

Significantly, Quadri hadn’t beaten Harimoto in previous encounters, neither had he won a single game against him. Quadri is adept at edge-of-the-table balls, mid-table serves, and power backhand returns that often weaken his challengers.

Unsurprisingly, Quadri’s long and winding career has been marked by hard work, consistency, and triumphs. His longevity in Africa’s table tennis circuit has cemented his fine place as a Nigerian and continental legend of the game.
Aruna Quadri is an offensive workhorse whose flurry of attack is tough to contend with. He has remained a leading influence in Nigeria and Africa, his staying power influencing younger table tennis players in the country and further afield.
It is significant that Quadri’s wife and son are also distinguished table tennis players in their own noticeable corners of the game. Aruna Quadri Jr., his young son, is already showing flashes of brilliance suggestive of a future national and continental champion. It is a thing of significance that Quadri enjoys the support and love of his immediate family in his chosen profession, support that grinds his wheel of success and oils his desire to always succeed. His many triumphs continue to solidify his legacy in African and world table tennis.

Quadri’s patriotism, talents and contributions to sports have been recognized in a number of ways. Notably, he captained Team Nigeria to the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. Also in 2021, Quadri became an ambassador of the TT Cup tournament, a recognition that leverage his respected place in Nigerian and African table tennis.

Born on August 9, 1988, Quadri is a veteran table tennis player whose towering contributions to the growth of the game is not in doubt. He has represented Nigeria at a number of African championships and world events, achieving several outstanding wins over formidable oppositions. Notably, he was a quarter-finalist at the 2016 Rio Olympics, making history as the first African to achieve such a magnificent status.

A remarkably successful table tennis star and a hard-boiled attacker, Aruna Quadri is not yet done with African table tennis. His latest leading ranking is indicative of his readiness to continue ruling Nigerian and African scenes. Regardless of what the future brings, Aruna Quadri’s place in Africa’s table tennis dynasty is already paved with several accolades, wins and encomiums that have firmly established his topnotch place in the world of table tennis.