Nigerian table tennis star Quadri Aruna has exited the 2025 Muscat Contender. His journey ended unexpectedly on Thursday. Aruna lost 3-2 to Romania’s Eduard Ionescu after a gripping five-game battle.
This Round of 32 clash took place at the Sultan Qaboos Sport Complex. Spectators remained on edge throughout the match. Both players frequently exchanged control.
The Match Unfolds
Aruna entered the draw as the ninth seed. He had also skipped the opening round. Many expected him to progress easily. He lost the first game. However, Aruna quickly found his rhythm. He then stormed through the next two games, winning 11-4 and 11-8. The Nigerian seemed set to push ahead.
But Ionescu refused to let the match slip away. The 21-year-old Romanian is ranked 44th in the world. He clawed back the fourth game, winning 11-9. Ionescu then delivered an ice-cool finish in the decider. He won 12-10 to complete the upset. The entire contest lasted just over 32 minutes. Yet, every phase brought a momentum shift.
Aruna actually finished with more total points. He scored 47 points to Ionescu’s 46. Still, the Romanian claimed the crucial rallies. Both players performed almost identically on serve. Aruna secured 24 points on his serve. Ionescu got 23.
They also shared 23 points each on return. At one point, Aruna put together seven straight points. Despite this, Ionescu’s persistence eventually tilted the match in his favour.
African Hopes & Tournament Outlook
With Aruna now out, Egypt’s Omar Assar remains. He is the only African player left in the men’s singles event. Assar defeated South Korea’s Gyuhyeon Park. He will now face world number seven Felix Lebrun in the next round.
Ionescu advances to today’s Round of 16. He will try to extend his surprise run. His next opponent is fifth seed Woojin Jang. The tournament offers a total prize purse of $300,000. The winner also receives 600 ranking points.
Aruna will leave Muscat with $17,000. He also gains 25 ranking points.
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