Nigerian table tennis star Quadri Aruna made a winning debut for Amiens STT in the French Pro B League, helping the club defeat Lille 3-2 in the opening round of the competition.
The match was played at the Albéric-Labaume Gymnasium in Amiens, northern France.
International Table Tennis Federation Africa (ITTF Africa) disclosed this in a statement issued by its media department to newsmen on Wednesday in Lagos.
Aruna, known for his powerful forehand and fighting spirit, overcame a difficult start to beat Iranian player Hossein Hodaei 3-1 and give Amiens an important victory.
The Nigerian’s experience proved crucial as he battled through the opening tie before securing the win.
The result has raised expectations around Aruna’s arrival at Amiens, a club seeking a return to the French top division.
In another encounter, Algeria’s Mehdi Bouloussa inspired Courbevoie STT to a 3-2 victory over Compiégnois TT 1.
Bouloussa’s performance helped Courbevoie secure the victory and further highlighted the growing presence of African players in the French league.
At Nantes, Nigerian table tennis legend Segun Toriola, who also serves as player-coach, guided his team to a 3-1 victory over Frejus AMSL.
Toriola was supported by Egyptian player Youssef Abdelaziz and Greek veteran Panagiotis Gionis.
Nigerians Olajide Omotayo and Taiwo Mati did not feature for Le Havre ATT, but the team began its campaign with a 3-1 victory over Boulogne Billancourt AC.
Meanwhile, Algeria’s Stephane Ouaiche recorded a convincing 3-0 victory with Caen TTC over Miramas AS to move his side to the top of the table after the opening round.
His compatriot, Maheidine Bella, also contributed a point for Proville ASL in its 1-3 defeat to Pontoise-Cergy AS.
For Benin Republic’s Salifou Abdel-Kader, the opening round ended in disappointment after he was not included in Compiégnois TT’s line-up.
Compiégnois lost 0-3 to Bouloussa’s Courbevoie STT.
Caen currently lead the table, while Amiens occupy third position after the opening round.
Amiens will next travel to face Toriola’s Nantes on Tuesday, Sept. 29, in a match that will pit two Nigerian stars against each other.
The encounter is expected to provide another test for Aruna’s Amiens side as it seeks to maintain its strong start and challenge for promotion to the French top division.
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