Nigeria’s captain to the 2019 ITTF Team World Cup, Aruna Quadri has said that despite being drawn in Group A alongside World and Olympic Champion – China, Team Nigeria is poised to cause upset in the tournament holding at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
However, Nigeria will be missing the service of Segun Toriola who could not make the trip to Tokyo over club engagement in French elite league.
A confident Quadri told NationSport at the tournament official hotel – Shinagawa Prince Hotel in Tokyo, that they are not in the Asian nation to add to the number but to prove why they are African champion.
“Just wait and see what will happen tomorrow. We are going to respect them for their rating but we are not going to consider their pedigree when we are playing against them. They are beatable because a lot of players are not beating the Chinese easily, so we will not be playing against them with a lot of respect,” he said.
The Portugal-based African Champion said every team in Tokyo is capable of causing upset, adding that record or pedigree do not win matches but performance determines the outcome.
Nigeria was yesterday been handed a tough draw at the 2019 ITTF Team World Cup at Shinagawa Prince Hotel in Tokyo as the African champion will slug it out in Group A alongside World and Olympic Champion, China and Chinese Taipei for a place in the knockout stage.
Nigeria will begin its campaign against China while it second group tie will be against Chinese Taipei on Thursday November 7.
Being the opening match of the competition, Nigeria will rely on Aruna Quadri, Olajide Omotayo, Bode Abiodun and home-based Azeez Solanke.
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Twelve of the strongest national associations, in each of the men’s and women’s competitions, are battling for glory at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, which will also be the venue for next year’s big event, which is a genuine dress rehearsal for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.