The men's teams of Nigeria, Egypt, and Madagascar began their campaigns at the 2026 ITTF World Team Championships with hard-fought victories over Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and Mongolia at the Copper Box Arena in London.
Egypt's Strong Start
Egypt started strongly against Thailand on Tuesday but had to dig deep to secure a 3-1 win. The team showed resilience to overcome their opponents in a tightly contested match.
Madagascar's Thrilling Victory
Madagascar's Fabio Rakotoarimanana emerged as the hero in their thrilling 3-2 triumph over Mongolia. The match was a rollercoaster, with Rakotoarimanana and Antoine Razafinarivo giving the island nation a 2-0 lead before Mongolia fought back through Ankhbayar Bilguun and Temuulen Myandal to level the tie. With everything on the line, Fabio held his nerve against Manlaijargal Munkh-Ochir, winning three tense deuce games to seal a memorable victory.
Nigeria Edges Saudi Arabia
Nigeria edged Saudi Arabia 3-2 yesterday, thanks to the brilliance of talisman Quadri Aruna. For Nigeria, it was a baptism of fire for youngster Matthew Kuti, who lost his two matches against Saudi opposition. However, Aruna and Olajide Omotayo stepped up to ensure Nigeria clinched victory in their opening group match, putting the team in a strong position to advance to the knockout stage. Nigeria faces top seed Hong Kong today before concluding their group games against South Africa tomorrow. The top two teams from each group will progress to the knockout rounds.
Other Group Matches
In Group 6, Greece overcame a scare against Algeria. Ioannis Sgouropoulos gave Greece the lead with a 3-0 win over Stephane Ouaiche, but Mehdi Bouloussa levelled the tie after edging veteran Panagiotis Gionis 3-2 in a gripping contest. Milhane Jellouli threatened an upset by taking the first game against Georgios Stamatouros, but the Greek responded to win 3-1. Gionis returned in the fourth match to redeem himself, defeating Ouaiche in straight games to secure a 3-1 victory and a solid start for Greece.
Women's Competition
Meanwhile, in the women's competition, Egypt remains the only African team to record a win in their opening match. Nigeria, Algeria, and Rwanda all suffered defeats, leaving Egypt to carry the continent's hopes in the early stages.
