Quadri Arunamaintained his impressive form at the WTT Saudi Smash, defeating Lee Sang Su of South Korea 3-2 in the men’s singles second round at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.
The world number 19 Nigerian dominated the early stages, winning the first two games 11-9 each. However, the determined Korean fought back to level the match at 9-11, 7-11 in the third and fourth games.
The deciding game was a tense affair. Aruna raced to a 4-1 lead, but Lee Sang Su clawed his way back to 4-4. Both players displayed cautious yet aggressive shots, with the Korean even holding a match point at 10-8.
A backhand topspin by Aruna proved crucial, forcing the Korean into two errors and tying the score at 10-10. While a missed shot from Aruna gave the Korean another lead, the Nigerian displayed remarkable composure, matching his opponent shot for shot and eventually winning the thrilling rally 13-11.
This victory echoes Aruna’s performance in the first round against Indian legend Sharath Achanta, showcasing his fighting spirit and ability to perform under pressure.
He becomes the second player to reach the round of 16, joining Iran’s Noshad Alamiyan who caused the first upset of the day by defeating world number five Jingkun Liang 3-2.
Aruna’s next challenge will be another Korean opponent, Daeseong Cho, in the third-round tie (round of 16) scheduled for Wednesday, 8 May.
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Tunde Eludini is a graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria where he studied International Relations. He is a Senior Correspondent coordinating the sports section for PREMIUM TIMES.Twitter: @tundeyeludini