Quadri settles for bronze as Assar reclaims ITTF Africa Cup
After overcoming defending champion – Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri in the semifinal, Egypt’s Omar Assar reclaimed the title he lost in 2017 after beating compatriot – Ahmed Saleh in the final of the 2019 ITTF Africa Cup held at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.
Dina Meshref continued her dominance in the continent as the defending champion retained her title with a convincing win over Yousra Helmy in the final of the women’s singles.
Assar, who is tournament’s no.3 seed, in the semi-final stage accounted for the host nation favourite, Quadri, the top seed (11-6, 11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 11-3), prior to overcoming colleague, Ahmed Ali Saleh, the no.2 seed (10-12, 11-3, 11-6, 12-14, 11-3, 9-11, 11-3), the winner as far back as 1997 when the second edition of the tournament was staged in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Quadri duly finished in third place; in the play-off contest he accounted for Algeria’s Sami Kherouf, the no.8 seed (11-6, 12-10, 11-5), the penultimate round victim of Ahmed Ali Saleh (11-7, 11-6, 7-11, 11-4, 6-11, 11-2).
Success for Assar contrary to seeding, for Meshref it was according to status.
The top seed, at the semi-final stage she beat Nigeria’s Offiong Edem, the no.2 seed, with the loss of just one game (11-5, 11-6, 9-11, 11-4, 11-8), a contest where the result was somewhat more convincing than when they had met in the final of the Arab Club Championships five days earlier. On that occasion Dina Meshref had been extended the full distance (11-6, 12-14, 7-11, 11-5, 11-8).
A place in the final booked, it was a family affair; she beat her cousin, Helmy, the no.4 seed (11-9, 11-9, 11-1, 11-8) to claim the title.
Earlier Yousra Helmy had beaten Tunisia’s Fadwa Garci in a tense semi-final contest (11-1, 10-12, 11-2, 11-8, 9-11, 10-12, 12-10) to reserve her place in the title decider. Offiong Edem gained third place, accounting for Fadwa Garci in five games (8-11, 11-8, 11-13, 11-7, 11-8).
Gold and silver for Egypt, personal triumphs for Assar and Meshref; it is third time Omar Assar has won the title, for Meshref and incredible seventh. Moreover, it is six in a row.
Most significantly, in Chengdu, Omar Assar will be making his third appearance in the Men’s World Cup, he previously appeared in 2015 in Halmstad in 2017 in Liège; for Dina Meshref it will be no less than her seventh venture in the Women’s World Cup. She made her debut in 2011 in Singapore, since 2014 in Linz, she has been ever present.
Read Also:2019 ITTF Africa Cup: Fans support an advantage for me- Aruna Quadri
The Women’s World Cup will be staged from Friday 18th to Sunday 20th October, the Men’s World Cup from Friday 29th November to Sunday 1st December.