Nigerian Table tennis star Aruna Quadri has moved up a step from the 21st to 20th position on the latest ranking released by the International Table Tennis Federation on Monday.
Quadri has however lost the number one position in Africa to rival Omar Assar of Egypt.
The Nigerian enjoyed a successful 2017 campaign, having won the Polish Open men’s singles title, becoming the first African to win an ITTF title outside Africa, and also making it to the semi-finals of the Bulgaria Open as well as the last eight at the Swedish open.
Assar jumped from the 26th to the 16th position on the new ranking to topple Quadri who had finished 2017 as Africa’s best.
Another Nigerian Olajide Omotayo enjoyed a tremendous rise, moving from 514 to 213.
China’s Ma Long’s reign as world number one has also come to an end as the Olympic and World champion has been displaced by Dimitrij Ovtcharov of Germany.