Africa’s highest ranked table tennis star Quadri Aruna has been handed a familiar foe in Germany’s Ruwen Filus in the first round of the men’s singles today, at the WTT Singapore Smash taking place at the Singapore Sports Hub’s OCBC Arena.
Aruna arrived in Singapore on Thursday from his base in Portugal to confront the German defensive player having played together at Fulda TTC in the German Bundesliga for two years.
The Nigerian listed among the top seeds that will start their campaigns from the first round of the main draw tomorrow has had an edge over the German in their previous meetings but the recent form of Filus in the Bundesliga would be a threat to Aruna.
Being his third WTT tournament this year having featured at the WTT Doha and Durban earlier this year, Aruna will be hoping to surpass his second-round exit at the 2022 edition with a comfortable win over the German star.
Also, the second African star competing in the main draw is Egypt’s Omar Assar and the former African champion has been pitched against Portuguese international Tiago Apolonia in the first round.
2022 Africa Cup champion Hana Goda has been drawn against Germany’s Sabine Winter while Africa’s highest ranked female player Dina Meshref of Egypt will face home girls Goi Rui Xuan in the first round of the women’s singles.
Meanwhile, all eyes will be on defending Singapore Smash champions China’s Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng who are eager to do battle to retain their singles crowns, while Singapore’s table tennis players are also raring to do the home fans proud when the main draw starts tomorrow.
The main draw of Singapore Smash 2023 commences from today through March 19, and will feature 64 players men’s and women’s singles and 24-pair doubles and mixed competitions.
The event boasts an impressive player field, with the 2022 champions in all five categories (men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, mixed doubles) returning to defend their titles. The top 10 women’s and men’s singles players will also be in action at the OCBC Arena.
