Mati, Kuti advance to Round 16 in mixed doubles at ITTF-Africa tourney

Nigeria’s table tennis players began an impressive run at the 2025 ITTF-Africa Championships in Tunis, with the pairs of Mati Taiwo/Ojo Favour and Kuti Matthew/Ojomu Ajoke advancing to the Round of 16 in the mixed doubles event. Mati and Ojo recorded a commanding 3–1 victory over Ghana’s Marfo James and Adom-Amankwaa Eva, displaying sharp coordination […]

Nigeria’s table tennis players began an impressive run at the 2025 ITTF-Africa Championships in Tunis, with the pairs of Mati Taiwo/Ojo Favour and Kuti Matthew/Ojomu Ajoke advancing to the Round of 16 in the mixed doubles event.

Mati and Ojo recorded a commanding 3–1 victory over Ghana’s Marfo James and Adom-Amankwaa Eva, displaying sharp coordination and attacking precision. In another thrilling encounter, Kuti and Ojomu staged a remarkable comeback from two sets down to defeat Algeria’s Bouloussa Mehdi and Morice Tania 3–2, sealing Nigeria’s second spot in the next round.

However, the host nation’s pairings  Bourass Aboubaker and Garci Fadwa defeated Abdulfatai Abdulbasit and Aiyelabegan Sukurat , 3-2 giving the Tunisian fans plenty to cheer about in the early stages of the competition.

Tunisia’s Ela Saidi, who made her debut at the continental showpiece, couldn’t hide her excitement, saying the championship represents more than competition.

“I’m so happy to be competing in my first African Championships, especially sharing the stage with stars like Hana Goda and Omar Assar. It’s a huge honour, and I’ll give my best. Most importantly, I want to use this experience to grow as a player,” she said.

Meanwhile, Tunisia’s Essid, fresh from winning the boys’ U-17 singles at the WTT Youth Contender Tunis, is eager to continue his momentum.

“I’m not going to relax, playing at home means I’ll have the support of the crowd. It’s a big opportunity for Tunisia to host this event, and we hope to make our country proud. The dream is to be part of the journey to London in 2026,” he said.