Three time Nigeria Open Champion ,Assar braces up for Bundesliga challenge

Having played in the last two seasons professionally in the French elite league for Marseille-based Istres, Omar Assar (EGY) is aware of the task ahead of him when he begins a new life in his career in the prestigious Bundesliga in Germany.

Like every athlete, who aspires to go higher in their career, Omar Assar has decided to take up the gauntlet to compete in the star-studded Bundesliga for SV Werder Bremen.

Admitting what he had to forgo to leave his former club in France, Omar Assar said: “It is hard to leave such a big and nice club as Istres in Marseille. However, I decided to take a new challenge and I am very happy with my decision.”

The three-time Nigeria Open champion will join forces with German international, Bastian Steger and Romania’s Hunor Szöcs in the club’s green colours under the coaching guidance of Cristian Tamas.

With several offers coming the way of the 2015 African Games champion, the Egyptian sensation had to consider the profile ofSV Werder Bremen coupled with the quality of the players and technical before finally making up his mind to sign the dotted lines in march this year for the 2013 Bundesliga champion.

“I had several offers from European clubs especially from Germany this year. I felt I have I improved my game and that is why many German clubs were willing to sign me,” he said.

Also, Omar Assar wanted to fulfill his childhood dream with his movement to Germany. “It has been a childhood goal and dream that I wanted to be the first Egyptian, Arab and African player to play in the best league in Europe. So I am very honoured that I am going to represent Bremen in this coming season.

“It is a great honour to be the first player from Africa to play in the modern Bundesliga and I am more excited that I have signed to a big club such as Bremen with nice people,” he added.

Omar Assar who has been training with the club in the last two months spoke glowingly about his prospect in the club. “I am so excited joining Bremen, a team that has won the league before in 2013. My targets are enormous but my first goal is to show respect to my teammates, members, fans and management of the team during the daily training and preparation for the commencement of the league. I am also hoping that I will have a good season with great attitude in my first season and I wish to perform very well in all the seasons,” Omar Assar admitted.

Ahead of 2017 ITTF World Cup: I need a coach Aruna Quadri pleads

Despite putting Nigeria on the world map at several occasions, Africa’s highest ranked table tennis player, Aruna Quadri is pleading for support for him to hire a coach prosecute the 2017 ITTF World Cup holding in Liege, Belgium later in the year.

Quadri who has consistently been inking his name in the annals of African table tennis history as the first African to make it to the quarterfinal of the Olympic Games as well as the first player from the continent to make it to the semifinal of the ITTF World Tour.

Being his second consecutive appearance at the ITTF World Cup, a pained Quadri said: “I am actually getting used to playing without a coach because I have no sponsor. Since I have no sponsor in order to have a coach, I just have to play alone. I can say that a coach is very, very important but since I have no support, I just have to keep on playing alone.”

“Actually, if I am not ready to play in the Bulgaria Open, I wouldn’t come along. But I am here because I am ready to play without a coach. If I had a coach, it would be even better of course,” he added.

Quadri attributed her victory against Japan’s Yuto Kizukuri in the round of 16 of Bulgaria Open as sheer luck.

“I think I have been really lucky in this tournament. It was my best match I was 6-3 down in the last set but luckily I won. I gained some confidence from the round of 16 match. I have something really important happening here and I am very happy,” he said.

He however, pleaded with his fans over the disappointment at Nigeria Open.

“I cannot actually say that Nigeria Open was a big disappointment for my fans but at the same time it is one of the things that normally happen in sports. For me it is meant to buckle me up. I thought it is possible to do so much better and anything can truly happen,” Quadri said.

It would be recalled that the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung promised to support Aruna Quadri for the World Cup but the 2014 ITTF Star Player is still waiting on the minister to fulfill his promises.

Aruna Quadri predicts a tough 2017 ITTF Challenge Nigeria open

Aruna Quadri predicts a tough challenge as ITTF Challenge serves off in Lagos

Aruna Quadri has declared that the 2017 seamaster ITTF challenge Nigeria Open will be one of the most competitive ever.

The competition,serves off on August 9th and will end on August 13th,parades the best of the finest world's ping pongers at the Molade Okoya Thomas hall of the Teslim Balogun stadium.

Speaking at the venue of the competition in lagos,the Africa champion said that every year the competition is getting bigger so as the stars on parade.

"It's going to be the toughest Lagos open ever judging by the caliber of players on parade,from the round of 32 there will be no walkover,every match is going to be difficult. "

However,the 2014 star player of the year who celebrate his birthday on the opening day of the competition, believe he has what it takes to be the first Nigerian to win the competition and give himself a befitting 28th year birthday gifts.

I have prepared so well, and am hoping on God to crown my effort and am hoping to gift myself a birthday gift on the 13th of August,the last day of the competition and be crowned the winner.

The Lagos open is in 5th edition and as Aruna quadri is hoping to be the first Nigerian has been to win it.

He is ranked 29th in the world,the highest ranked Africa and the number one seeded player for the games while his arch rival,Egyptian Omar Assar ranked 64th.

The implication of this is that both can only meet in the finals.

Aruna defeated asar to become Africa champion at Agadir in morrocco earlier in the year and his performance at the India open makes him the hot favorite to cart away the prestigious men single top crown and cash prize of 42,000 dollars.