Nigerian table tennis star Quadri Aruna exited the WTT Champions Frankfurt after a narrow 3-2 defeat to Germany’s Ricardo Walther in the round of 16.

The intense match at Süwag Energie Arena ended with scores of 9-11, 14-6, 11-7, 12-10 in favor of Walther, drawing admiration from fans and officials.

“Quadri Aruna may be out of WTT Frankfurt, but he left it all on the table with an incredible fight against Ricardo Walther!” the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) wrote on its official social media platform.

Aruna began his WTT Frankfurt campaign on a high note by overcoming fifth-seeded Tomokazu Harimoto in a remarkable comeback, winning 3-2 (7-11, 11-13, 11-5, 14-12, 11-3).

Quadri Aruna celebrates his win over Tomokazu Harimoto. Photo | X

The contest against Harimoto was thrilling, with the Japanese player initially leading the match 2-0 before bouncing back into contention and throwing an updet and comeback to win the game.

With exceptional plays and a decisive backhand shot in the final set, Aruna secured his place in the round of 16, writing history as his second-ever win at the WTT Champions level, following his earlier achievement in Montpellier.

Speaking on his performance in that match, Aruna appreciated the crowd’s support saying: “At 0-2 down, I knew I was never alone. The crowd was there for me; they were supporting me and kept me going. Because of that, I never gave up. I kept fighting and fighting. I’m here to have fun, enjoy myself, and show the world that I’m one of the best from Nigeria and Africa.”