Young Guns Dominate as Vets Crash Out at ITTF Africa Championships in Tunis
A fresh wave of youthful talent made waves at the 2025 ITTF Africa Championships on Monday, as several established veterans were eliminated in dramatic fashion during the second round of singles competition.
Tunisian teenager Youssef Aidli led the charge, executing a commanding 4–0 victory over Nigeria’s Monday Olabiyi, signaling a generational shift on the continent.
Other big names followed suit: Amgad Mahrous of Sudan was similarly dispatched 4–0 by Uganda’s Jonathan Senyonga, while Farouk Salifou of Benin Republic fell 4–0 to Nigeria’s Abdulbasit Abdulfatai.
The trend extended to the women’s draw as well. Rising stars toppled experienced competitors: Nigeria’s Aishat Rabiu eliminated Ghana’s Bernice Borquaye, and Algeria’s Houda Taguercifi ousted Angola’s Ruth Tavares. Fourteen-year-old Tunisian prodigy Ela Saidi stunned Rwanda’s Ruth Mihindu, and Algerian twins Tania and Jade Morice (both 15) made emphatic debuts by defeating opponents from South Africa and Congo Brazzaville.
Despite the upsets, many leading players advanced smoothly. In the men’s field, the likes of Omar Assar, Youssef Abdelaziz, Mohamed El-Beili, and rising Egyptian star Mostafa Badr progressed to the next round. Also cruising through were Nigeria’s Olajide Omotayo, Algeria’s Mehdi Bouloussa, Benin’s Abdel-Kader Salifou, and home favourite Wassim Essid.
As the tournament moves deeper into its knockout stages, tensions and stakes rise. Only the most consistent performers will survive the cuts in the quest for the 2025 continental titles in Tunis.