Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna maintained the 18th position he held last year in the world table tennis ranking for February, which was released on Tuesday.
The ranking meant Aruna remains the best table tennis player in Africa, ahead of Egypt’s Omar Assar, who was unmoved in the 29th position to remain Africa’s second-best player.
China’s Xu Xin displaced compatriot Fan Zhendong to top the men’s world ranking, after defeating Ma Long 4-0 to win the 2020 ITTF World Tour Platinum German Open on Monday.
Long remained third in the world, while Gaoyuan Lin completes the top four Chinese quartet, ahead of Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto in fifth.
Senegal’s Ibrahima Diaw is the third best ranked player in Africa, dropping two places to No. 78 in the world, while veteran Egyptian Ahmed Saleh moved up 16 places to be ranked 85th in world and fourth on the continent.
African Games singles champion Olajide Omotayo dropped three places to 89th in the world and is now fifth in Africa after being displaced by Saleh.
Other Nigerians who appear in the top 10 in Africa are Segun Toriola, ranked 150th in the world and ninth in Africa and Bode Abiodun who is the world’s 154th ranked player and 10th in Africa.
In the women’s ranking, Egypt’s Dina Meshref maintained her dominance in Africa, moving up one spot to 31st in the world ranking.
Compatriots Yousra Helmy and Reem El-Eraky, ranked 80th and 116th respectively, are second and third on the continent ahead of Nigeria’s Offiong Edem at fourth and 124th in the world.
Olufunke Oshonaike is the continent’s seventh best player and 165th in the world, while Ajoke Ojomu is 191st in the world and 10th in Africa.
Nigeria’s men and women’s teams will not compete at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo after they failed to qualify, while the players are also yet to qualify for the singles event.
