T/Tennis
By Kemi Ajayi
Lagos, Sept. 25, 2018 (NAN) Africa’s biggest exports in table tennis, Aruna Quadri of Nigeria and Omar Assar of Egypt will reignite their rivalry as they battle each other in the European Table Tennis Union Champions League.
According to a statement by ATTF on Tuesday, the league will commence on Sept. 27 in the city of Dusseldorf, Germany.
Quadri will represent his Portuguese club, Sporting Lisbon, while Assar will be making his debut in the competition with Borussia Dusseldorf.
The defending Borussia Dusseldorf of Germany and Sporting of Portugal clash in the Group A tie of the prestigious (ETTU) Champions League.
It said Quadri, who is the 2018 African Champion will be leading Sporting against Assar’s star-studded Borussia Dusseldorf.
It added that both players were aiming for each other after Assar missed out from the African Championship in Mauritius following his one-year ban by Egypt Table Tennis Federation (ETTF).
Assar joined Borussia Dusseldorf after spending one season with Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga and having started the season on a good note with the German champion.
Following his exclusion from the Egyptian team to Mauritius, Assar has been busy with Borussia Dusseldorf which has former European Champion — Timo Boll in its fold.
The team is at present topping the Bundesliga table with six points from three matches and they have remained unbeaten this season.
According to the statement, it’s indeed another task as the Portuguese league has yet to kick off, while the Champions League will serve as their first match this season.
It said sporting at their maiden appearance in the Champions League last season made it to the semi-finals stage with the presence of Aruna Quadri and his compatriot Bode Abiodun. (NAN)
KOA/ERO/PDE
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(Edited by Emmanuel Okara/Peter Ejiofor)