Egyptian table tennis star Omar Assar edged out Nigeria’s tennis legend Quadri Aruna with a hard-fought 4-3 victory (11-3, 14-16, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6).

The match showed the true spirit and intensity of Africa’s premier table tennis event.

Both Assar and Aruna entered the final with five Africa Cup titles each. Aruna came in as the defending champion.

Their journey to the final was tough and grueling. In the first semifinal, Omar Assar battled past Benin Republic’s Salifou Abdel-Kader with a close 4-3 win. In the second semifinal, Quadri Aruna dominated Cameroon’s Batix Ylane with a 4-0 victory.

From the opening rounds to the semifinals, both players faced many challenges. Each match tested their strength and pushed them to improve.

They overcame tough opponents, survived nail-biting smashes, and withstood devilish serves. This journey solidified their places as two of Africa’s most decorated table tennis players.

Both players have already qualified for the ITTF World Cup in Macao ahead of the grande finale which reignited third rivalry.

At the end of the match, Asar bagged his sixth ITTF Africa Cup title ahead of Quadri's five.

He emerged as the most decorated men's single table tennis player in Africa.