The 2025 ITTF Africa Cup, scheduled to take place in Tunis from February 25 to 27, is expected to showcase the continent’s emerging talents as they prepare to challenge the established stars in the table tennis world.
Nigeria’s Matthew Kuti and Tunisia’s Wassim Essid are two youngsters eager to make their mark at this year’s tournament. Both players demonstrated their potential at the 2024 African Championships in Ethiopia, with Kuti making his debut at the event.
Essid, a home favorite and key player for the Tunisian national team, aims to disrupt the dominance of seasoned stars like Egypt’s Omar Assar and Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna. Having excelled in the cadet and junior divisions in Africa, Essid is now looking to achieve similar success at the senior level.
Kuti, who has shown consistent performance in Nigeria, winning four national tournaments, is also confident of making an impact in Tunis. His participation in the 2023 African Games in Ghana has boosted his confidence in major competitions.
Ahead of the tournament, the President of the Tunisia Table Tennis Federation (TTTF), Lofti Guerfel, expressed confidence in staging and presenting a formidable team. “We are proud to host top-class competitions, and we recognize that such great events bring excitement, inspiration, and moments that can last a lifetime for athletes and fans alike,” he said.
Guerfel added that the TTTF has put everything in place for the athletes to succeed, and they are confident and optimistic about achieving good results that will honor Tunisian table tennis.
