International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Africa Top 16 Cup runner-up Aruna Quadri of Nigeria was too good for Kenya’s Josiah Wandera whom he beat 4-0 (11-2, 11-4, 11- 6, 11-9) in Group 1 match of the Africa Singles and Mixed Doubles Olympic Qualification event in Tunis, Tunisia.
RANKED SECOND
Wandera, who is Kenya’s second-ranked table tennis player, was scheduled to play Bienatiki Christ of Congo in the modified ‘snake system’ games.
“I started off on a low note in the first two sets but made amends in the last two where I won some points against the Nigerian,” said Wandera.
He added: “I felt much better as the match progressed and developed confidence to attack. My aim is now to defeat the Congolese. I saw him play at the All Africa Games in 2015 in Congo and last year in Rabat. He is such an experienced player but I will fight to the end.”
Kenya’s top-ranked player Brian Mutua lost 4-0 (11-3, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7) to Congolese Saheed Idowu in the men’s singles in a Group 4 clash.
“I made some errors when I got the chance to attack. I knew he is an experienced player but that didn’t intimidate me, so I decided to attack from the word go. Second set I was leading 9-4 and then 10-5 but he managed to catch up and this distracted me,” Mutua said after the game on Thursday.
GROUP 1 CLASH
In women’s Group 2, Haj Salah of Tunisia Abir beat Doreen Juma of Kenya 4-0 (11-6, 11-6, 11-3, 11-7).
In the women’s singles Group 1 clash Jalim Nandeshwaree of Mauritius beat Lydia Setey of Kenya 4-0 (11-7, 11-6, 11-9, 11-4).
Action resumes at the Olympique Stade De Rades Tunis on Friday. The mixed doubles will be played on Saturday.
