ITTF Africa Cup 2026: Aruna Quadri loses semi-final to Algeria’s Bouloussa

2026-02-09 - 14:49

By Emmanuel Okogba Algerian’s Mehdi Bouloussa produced one of the biggest upsets in African table tennis history after defeating Quadri Aruna of Nigeria in the semifinals of the 2026 ITTF African Cup in Benghazi, Libya. Bouloussa defeated Quadri 4-3 (11-9, 11-6, 8-11, 11-7, 8-11, 8-11, 11-7). The victory marks Bouloussa’s first‐ever qualification for a continental final and breaks a 31‐year record in the competition. He becomes the first player outside Nigeria and Egypt to reach the ITTF African Cup final since 1991. Quadri advanced into the semi-finals on Sunday, following a comprehensive 4-0 quarter-final win over Egypt’s Badr Mostafa. Aruna was in control from the first game, beating the Egyptian 11-5, 12-10, 11-8, 11-9. Before then, he had also beaten Libya’s Habeb Alajaebi 4-0 in the round of 16. He defeated Alajaebi 11-3, 11-4, 11-3, 11-1. Quadri, widely regarded as Africa’s most dominant player in recent years, had been chasing another title to add to his decorated career. However, Bouloussa’s sharp play and relentless determination proved decisive, as he overcame the Nigerian star to secure his place in the championship match. Despite the loss, Aruna has secured qualification for the ITTF World Cup in Macao, China.