Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna opened his campaign at the 2026 ITTF World Cup in Macao with a straight-sets defeat to Croatia’s Tomislav Pucar, extending his winless run on the global stage to nine matches as calls intensify for his retirement, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. “While age is a factor in every sport, I do not think it is the major reason. “In Africa, you would still pick Aruna as either the top player or the second-best player. He said, “Aruna has peaked and can only maintain his level for the next few years. Mentorship should be the responsibility of the federation, but if he chooses to contribute, then it would be valuable,” he added.

Source: Punch March 31, 2026 15:41 UTC