Africa’s most celebrated table tennis star, Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri, and the current African champion, Egypt’s Omar Assar, have been listed among the 64 seeded players for the 2017 World Table Tennis Championships holding in Dusseldorf, Germany on May 29 to June 5.
Already, 64 top players in the world, including Olympic and World Champion, China’s Ma Long, have been exempted from competing in the preliminary round of the championships, while they are expected to begin their campaigns in the main draw (first round) of the tournament.
Quadri, who has also been listed among the world title contenders by the world table tennis ruling body, International Table Tennis Federation, is seeded number 31 in the men’s singles, while his continental rival, Assar, is rated 50 among the 64 top seeds.
Also, African doubles champions, Quadri and Segun Toriola, will battle with the world’s best in Germany.
Meanwhile, 613 athletes from 108 countries will be making the trip to Dusseldorf, Germany for the biggest table tennis event of the year.
For the first time in history, players from Afghanistan, Oman, Palestine and Tahiti will be amongst the countries fighting to be crowned World Champion in the event taking place at the Messe Dusseldorf.
ITTF President, Thomas Weikert, stated: “I am very excited about welcoming 613 players from 108 countries to my home country of Germany for the Liebherr 2017 World Table Tennis Championships. We are all a part of the ITTF family and this Championships will be a celebration of that and a celebration of table tennis. It is going to be a fantastic event, and I look forward to watching as many countries and players as possible playing here in Germany.”
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