Trailing 3-9, he mounted a stunning comeback to level at 9-9 and eventually clinched the 5th set; Aruna Quadri ends Duda’s Dominance to hit the 2025 ITTF Championships 4th Round with a thrilling 4-2 victory.
That momentum carried him into the sixth, where Aruna’s confidence soared with powerful forehand loops and precise shot placement to close the match 11-9 after missing double match points.
The Nigerian star, now the sole African contender in the Men’s Singles following the exit of Egypt’s Omar Assar in the second round on Monday, May 19, delivered a commanding performance against the left-handed German.
Aruna last beat Duda in 2019 before losing back-to-back to the German in WTT Montepelier(3-0) in October 2024 and, last month, in WTT Incheon 3-1.
As Aruna Quadri ends Duda’s dominance, the head-to-head stays at two wins each.
Quadri Ends Duda’s Dominance: A Special Coach
According to Lateefat Adebayo-Ohio, Fanny Kokou deputized as coach for Quadri Aruna in the absence of Nigerian coach Segun Toriola.
At the interval, with two match points, Fanny calmly reassured Quadri, saying, “Be calm, don’t overplay, just play; at this stage, don’t force it,” motivating Quadri to a 4-2 win and a place in the round of 16 at the World Championships in Doha.
Fanny, a Togolese player, lost in earlier rounds. He also coaches in the US.
The win underlines Quadri Aruna’s elite status at the 2025 ITTF World Championships after a thrilling 4-2 victory over Germany’s Benedikt Duda, securing his place in the fourth round of the Men’s Singles at the Lusail Hall in Doha, Qatar.