ETTU Champions League: Quadri, Assar reignite rivalry 

Africa’s superstars in table tennis – Aruna Quadri of Nigeria and Omar Assar of Egypt have taken their
rivalry beyond the shores of the continent as both players lead their European club for a Group A
showdown of the European Table Tennis Union (ETTU) Champions League.

Quadri, who is the 2018 African Champion, will be leading Portugal’s Sporting while Assar who is making
his debut in the ETTU Champions League will be part of the star-studded Germany’s Borussia Dusseldorf
which includes current European Champion – Timo Boll.

The 2018 ITTF Challenge Nigeria Open was part of the Sporting side that got to the semifinal stage of
the lucrative league at their maiden appearance last season and this year the Portuguese Champion will
be aiming to exceed the 2017 feat with Quadri and compatriot – Bode Abiodun as well as Portuguese
internationals – Joao Monteiro and Diogo Carvalho travelling to the German city of Dusseldorf for the
tie on September 27.

The onus of leading Sporting to success on the league opener against defending champion lies on Quadri
following the injury of captain Joao Monteiro, who missed the last European Championships in Spain.

Already the team has resumed training in the last one week in readiness for the epic clash and they are
expected to depart Lisbon today for the encounter.

Unlike Quadri who tasted the league last season, Assar, who missed the last ITTF African Championships
in Mauritius, will be making his debut with his new club – Borussia Dusseldorf being his second season
in the German Bundesliga.

The German side will be strengthened by two players – Timo Boll and Kristian Karlsson who finished on
the podium in the Men`s Singles event at the recent ITTF European Championships in Alicante, Spain.

Boll improved his record to seven titles, while Karlsson won bronze, which was a huge encouragement for
the clash against Sporting

Affirming this, Boll said: ““The matches in Alicante will help me to come closer to 100 percent and to
be in a good shape against Sporting. I am very happy that I could win the title in Spain one more time
but I know that all the other players will be stronger every time. So we have to be prepared for hard
matches against Sporting.”