Tokyo Olympics 2020: Aruna makes top 15 in seeding list of table tennis

Team Nigeria Captain Quadri Aruna has been listed among the top 15 seeded players in the men’s singles of the table tennis event of the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Being the highest rated African in the world, Aruna has been seeded number 15 behind Frenchman Simon Gauzy seeded 14 among the 65 players competing in the men’s singles.

The Nigerian star who was considered as one of the top players to watch out for in table tennis by Reuters is hoping to exceed his quarterfinal finish at Rio 2016 in Japan.

Qualified to Tokyo based on his world rating, Aruna will be awaiting his first round opponent when the draws hold this week with Egypt’s Omar Assar seeded 28 while Aruna’s compatriot- Olajide Omotayo is seeded 49 in the men’s singles.

In the women’s singles, six-time African women champion Egypt’s Dina Meshref has been seeded 19th while Nigeria’s Offiong Edem is seeded 53 among the 70 athletes competing in the women’s singles event.

Seven-time Olympian Olufunke Oshonaike is 60th.

Meanwhile, China’s Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng have been unveiled as the top-seeded entries for the men’s and women’s singles categories.

Making his first appearance on the Olympic stage in Tokyo, Fan Zhendong, 24, is bidding to become the sixth Chinese player to take home men’s singles gold.

Fan’s compatriot and defending champion Ma Long, who has been named as the number two seed, will attempt to recapture the magic of five years ago as he defends his highly sought-after title at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.