Aruna Quadri has become the first Nigerian and the second African to make the top 18 ranking in the monthly ranking of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).
To achieve his highest career ranking, Quadri rose from 20 to 18 in the August 2018 rating released at the weekend by the world table tennis ruling body.
The fortune of Quadri in the monthly ranking improved following his performance at the Australian Open where he made it to the last 16 of the men’s singles.
And with this rating, the Oyo State-born athlete continues to halter his own record as the only Nigerian to achieve top 18 rating in the world.
A joyful Aruna Quadri believes the rating would afford him another opportunity to continue to work harder. “I am so happy with the ranking particularly with my qualification for the ITTF World Cup in France.
“Again, this ranking has shown that I should not relax but continue to work harder because remaining on top is one of the difficult tasks for any athlete.
“This goes to show that I must redouble my efforts in training and continue to compete in major competitions across the globe. I will not be carried away by this rating but be humbled by this feat and remain focused in order to maintain my status in the global rating,” the number seed of the 2018 ITTF Challenge Seamaster Nigeria Open said.
