The coast is now clear with the pretenders already separated from contenders as top seeds enter the fray on Friday in the main draw of singles event of the ITTF Challenge Nigeria Open holding at Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, Nigeria.
Over 100 players competed in the preliminary round with the intention of making it to the main draw and at the end of the second day, 32 men and 16 women will be joining the seeded players in the main draw (round of 64 in men and round of 32 in the women).
Fans will have a swell and exciting time on Friday (today) as the top seeds begin their campaigns in their aim to share from the $46,000 prize money at stake at the five-day championships.
Home favourite – Aruna Quadri; two-time champion, Egypt’s Omar Assar; defending champion, Finland’s Benedek Olah; as well as 2009 mixed doubles world champion, Qatar’s Li Ping, will all take to the table in their quest for the top prize.
Also in race for the title is France’s Antoine Hachard, while in the women’s event, defending champion, Portugal’s Jieni Shao, as well as 2016 runner’s up, Hungary’s Zsandra Pergel.
African champion, Egypt’s Dina Meshref, is also in the race for the title this year.
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