Africa’s highest-ranked player Quadri Aruna has crashed out of the men’s singles event of the table tennis competition at the ongoing Olympics in Tokyo.

He crashed out today (Tuesday).

Aruna, who reached the quarter-finals of the event at the Rio Games in 2016, could not go far this time around as he lost 2-4 in the third round.

He lost to Brazil’s Gustavo Tsuboi at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium 15-13 9-11 6-11 11-7 7-11 6-11.

His exit has brought a sad end to Team Nigeria’s campaign in the sport at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

His three teammates in the sport (Funke Oshonaike, Offiong Edem, Olajide Omotayo) have all been eliminated.

Nigeria did not qualify for the doubles events.

The loss adds to a long list of Nigerian athletes failing to shine in the competition.

On Monday, Team Nigeria’s Dorcas Adesokan lost to Clara Azurmendi of Spain in her opening game in the women’s singles event of the badminton competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The 23-year-old will face An Seyoung of South Korea on Tuesday evening at the same venue. This will be in another Group C fixture, which will determine her progress in the competition.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s pair of Godwin Olofua and Anuoluwapo Opeyori will return to the same venue later in the day.

In continuation of their Group B campaign in the men’s doubles event, they will take on Kim Astrup and Anders Rasmussen from 6:00 p.m. Tokyo time.

The pair of Olofua and Opeyori had lost their opening group game on Saturday against Team Japan.

(NAN)