Nigeria’s table tennis star, Quadri Aruna, suffered an early exit at the WTT China Smash after losing 3-0 to Denmark’s Anders Lind in the round of 64 on Sunday.

The world number 14 and Africa’s highest-ranked player struggled to find his rhythm against the Dane, with the match ending 12-10, 13-11, 13-11 in straight sets.

Reacting after the defeat, Aruna admitted it was a tough contest against an unfamiliar opponent.

“It’s the first time I played against him. It’s really hard. The biggest problem was his serve. If I had returned better, things might have changed in my favour. But overall, I did my best, which is important to me,” he told CGTN Sports Scene.

Despite the disappointment, Aruna thanked the Chinese fans who cheered him on throughout the encounter.

“They kept me going all the time. They supported me a lot, and I want to say thanks to them,” he added.

Aruna, who reached the round of 32 in the same competition last year, will now shift focus to the African Table Tennis Championships, scheduled for October 12–19 in Tunisia, where he is expected to lead Nigeria’s 10-player squad.

The men’s team also includes Taiwo Mati, Olajide Omotayo, two-time West African champion Matthew Kuti, and emerging talent Abdulbasit Abdulfatai.

On the women’s side, captain Ajoke Ojomu will be joined by rising players Favour Ojo, Aishat Rabiu, Kabirat Ayoola, and Sukurat Aiyelabegan.