South Korea’s Daeseong Cho has revealed how he came from two sets down to oust Nigerian Quadri Aruna in the last 16 of the ongoing World Table Tennis Saudi Smash on Thursday, according to latest reports.
Cho ended Aruna’s dreams at the tourney when he defeated the Nigerian 3-2.
The 21-year-old Cho revealed that the tips he got from his compatriot Sang-su gave him an edge over Aruna, who had defeated Sang-su in the round of 32.
“From the first and second sets, I felt overwhelmed by my own ambition, which led to me making a lot of mistakes,” Cho told the media after his win.
“However, starting from 0-2 down, I managed to clear my mind and focus solely on the game.
“Lee Sang-su played against Aruna in the second round, so I received tips on what Aruna does at crucial moments and where his weaknesses lie. However, Aruna is already a well-known player.
“From my perspective, I believe Aruna might not have known me well enough, which could have contributed to today’s (Thursday’s victory),” Cho said.
Aruna’s last 16 finish saw him earn a total of 175 points at the tourney, which is expected to rub off positively on his ITTF ratings next week.
The 33-year-old will be looking forward to redeeming himself when he features at the 2024 ITTF African Cup and Olympics Qualification Tournament in Kigali, Rwanda from May 12 to 18.
He was listed by Nigeria Table Tennis Federation alongside Offiong Edem, Olajide Omotayo and Fatimo Bello as Nigeria’s representatives.
Olaitan Ibrahim