ITTF World Rankings: Nigeria’s Fatimo Bello Places 53rd
Nigerian table tennis star Fatima Bello made an astounding leap over 291 places in the latest ITTF world ranking to place 52nd after a series of successes which includes emerging the champion at the WTTC West Africa Qualification, and registering a 2nd place finish at the just concluded ITTF-Africa Cup in Lagos.
Bello’s new ranking puts her as the only Nigerian female player and third Nigerian to have ranked as high in history, following the exploits of Atanda Musa, who reached the top 40 in the 1980s and recently Quadri Aruna in top 10.
Bello also qualified to play at the upcoming Grand Smash in Budapest this July. There was also a significant rise for Olufunke Oshonaike, Sarah Hanffou and Abosede Odusanya at 126th, 134th, and 181th respectively.
Egypt’s Hana Goda, previously ranked 43rd in the world before competing at her maiden Africa Cup, has climbed 10 places to occupy the 33rd place in the latest ITTF World Ranking.
This progress in her rating was made possible following her successful outing in Lagos where she claimed her maiden senior title – the ITTF-Africa Cup after beating her Nigerian opponent Fatimo Bello in the women’s singles final on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
Goda also moved one place higher to rank world No. 2 in the Girls’ U19 ranking as well.
For the men, Mohamed El-Beiali’s overall fourth place finish at the Africa Cup earned him a superb 106 lift to be ranked 81st.
Aboubakar Bourass of Tunisia rose to 129th, while Cote d’Ivoire’s Oba Oba Kizito climbed 70 steps into 132nd.
For winning the WTTC West Africa Qualification, Mati Taiwo of Nigeria moved 215 places to debut in the top 200 at No.135. Compatriot Azeez Solanke and Togo’s Fanny Dodji Kokou climbed into 185th and 199th respectively to complete the list of African players in the ITTF top 200.
Chidi Nwoke/ITTF-Africa.
