[FILES] Tennis. Photo: EXPERTTABLETENNIS
World number one U-13 player, Musa Mustapha, has expressed appreciation to Quadri Aruna for donating table tennis kits to some players during the just-ended Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) National Championships held at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.
Players got various items, including two pairs of rubbers, blade, t-shirts, shorts, tracksuits, shoe, socks, towel, bat case, backpack and cap from the country’s number one and Africa’s top seed.
The beneficiaries included Musa and his brother, Mustapha, Kabirat Ayoola, Aishat Rabiu, who were among the four cadet players. Others whose kits sponsorship was renewed for another year are Taiwo Mati and Azeez Solanke.
Speaking to The Guardian during the National Championships, Mustapha, who couldn’t qualify beyond the first round of the qualifying stage of the U21 men’s singles alongside his brother, Mustapha, said he hoped to be better than his idols, Aruna and Segun Toriola, when he gets to the senior level.
“Quadri and Toriola are my role models in table tennis and I hope to play better than them by the time I get to their age. The two players have inspired me a lot to train well to be a better player.
“I am currently in the JSS3 class and the sport has not in any way affected my education, as I keep working hard in training and I will not give up until I attain the height I have set for myself in the game.
“My current position in the world did not just come easily because my dad spent a lot of money to ensure I maintain my game. Like my dad said, it is not possible for me to attain this height in the world without going outside to play international competitions,” he stated.