Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna has risen to become Africa’s highest-ranked table tennis player, surpassing Egypt’s Omar Assar in the latest Week 12 world rankings released yesterday. Aruna now sits at 18th globally, marking a significant milestone in his career.

Despite finishing as the runner-up at the 2025 ITTF Africa Cup, Aruna’s consistent performances in World Table Tennis (WTT) tournaments this year have earned him the top spot in Africa. His achievements include reaching the semifinals of the WTT Contender Doha for the second consecutive year, a feat that has solidified his position as the continent’s leading player.

In the latest rankings, Aruna climbed from 19th to 18th, while Assar, the 2025 ITTF Africa Cup champion, dropped from 17th to 19th. Denmark’s Jonathan Groth took over the 17th position, moving up from 18th.

Meanwhile, Egypt’s Mohamed El-Beiali, despite a quarterfinal exit at the 2025 ITTF Africa Cup, rose to 45th in the rankings, securing his place as the third-highest-ranked African player.

In the Women’s singles, Egypt’s Hana Goda retained her position as Africa’s top female player, climbing one spot to 26th globally. Her compatriot, Dina Meshref, remained steady at 33rd, maintaining her status as the second-highest-ranked female player on the continent.

Globally, China’s Lin Shidong continues to dominate the Men’s singles rankings, holding the top spot, followed by compatriot Wang Chuqin in second place. Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto moved up to third after a strong semifinal performance in Chongqing, displacing China’s Liang Jingkun.

In the Women’s rankings, China’s Sun Yingsha remains the world number one after successfully defending her WTT Champions Chongqing title. The top five women’s players remained unchanged, with Sun leading the pack.