Quadri, Makanjuola Listed In ITTF World Tours In Kuwait

 

All Africa Games bronze medalist, Aruna Quadri and bronze medalist at the maiden Lagos Classics, Kazeem Makanjuola have been listed in this month’s International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Tours tagged Kuwait and Qatar Opens.

The Kuwait Open kicks off on Wednesday at the Salwa Sporting Club with over 243 players drawn from 33 countries taking part in the five-day $210,000 prize money championship.

 According to the list of players released by the organisers of the Kuwait Open, Quadri and Makanjuola will compete in the men’s singles and doubles events and they are expected to use the tournament to tune up for this year’s Commonwealth Games holding in Scotland.

 For Makanjuola, he hopes to cause one of the major upsets at the Kuwait Open being his first outing in an ITTF World Tour.

 “I am so happy that I am taking part in my first World Tour and for me this is another opportunity to prove myself. I am targeting that Iwill qualify from the group and also defeat some of the top players inthe competition. I am eager to better my performance with this championship,” Makanjuola said.

 The current national champion, however, lauded the President, Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Wahid Oshodi, for supporting him in his quest to feature in the tournament in Kuwait and Qatar.

 Also, Portugal-based Quadri, who last week led his Portuguese club, G.

D. Toledos to retain the Portuguese Cup yesterday departed for Kuwait, while assuring to put up a good performance at the tournaments.

  Meanwhile, China’s Ma Long and Liu Shiwen, the players currently in top spot on the respective Men’s and Women’s World Rankings, head an all-star cast for the forthcoming 2014 ITTF World Tour Kuwait Open.

 At the closing date of entry on Monday January 13, 2014, a total of no less than 243 players from 33 national associations had enrolled being the biggest entry ever received for the Kuwait Open which was first staged in February 2006.

 The previous highest was in 2010 when 193 players enrolled; the average over the years being 175 entrants.