Quadri Aruna of Nigeria fell to Brazil’s Hugo Calderano at the 2025 ITTF World Championships in Doha to see his journey in the competition come to an end on Thursday after a straightforward defeat, www.aclsports.com reports.
It was a devastating loss for the Nigerian star, who was comprehensively outplayed by Calderano in the one-sided men’s singles match at Lusail Arena in Qatar.
Aruna, who made a strong start to the competition and was seen as one of the players to go far, was very poor on the day, as the Brazilian led from start to finish in commanding fashion. To earn his quarter-final place, Calderon eventually sealed an easy 4-0 victory with scores of 11-4, 11-4, 11-4, and 11-6.
The contest, which lasted 22 minutes, saw Aruna commit a series of unforced errors, while Calderano exhibited technical ingenuity with his rapid backhand and explosive forehand topspin to take the match away from the Nigerian.
After the match, Calderano acknowledged Aruna’s calibre, noting the challenge he posed.
“It is never easy to maintain top form every competition, especially after winning the ITTF World Cup last month. I had to rest and train hard because table tennis is unpredictable. Against a player like Aruna, you must always be at your best,” he said.
Aruna, 36, continues to do well on the global stage for African table tennis, having twice reached the round of 16 at the ITTF World Championships. In Doha, he was also the only African player to reach the last 16.
