Ghana’s Kwabi Triumphs as Nigeria’s Kuti Eyes Title Defence at W/Africa Championship

Posted : 19 July 2025

It was a thrilling showdown at the Molade Okoya Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, as Ghana’s Cynthia Kwabi delivered a standout performance at the 2025 ITTF West Africa Regional Championship. She defeated Benin’s Stacy Anadji in a fiercely contested group-stage match that had the crowd on the edge of their seats.

Both players displayed remarkable skill, agility, and tactical awareness throughout the match, engaging in intense rallies that drew loud cheers from the audience. Kwabi’s sharp footwork, strategic play, and precise shot-making gave her the edge at crucial moments. She secured a 3-1 victory with set scores of 11–7, 9–11, 13–11, 11–6 to top her group.

“I trained hard for this championship, and it paid off at the end of the game,” Kwabi said, expressing gratitude to her team and family for their support. She now advances to the next round and is determined to maintain her form, saying, “I am focused on the next match and will give it my all.”

Nigerian player Aziza Sezuo also delivered an impressive performance, defeating Benin’s Ziadath Akadiri in straight sets: 11–9, 11–5, 11–9, 11–8. Her aggressive play left Akadiri struggling to gain momentum.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s table tennis star, Matthew Kuti, has his sights set on making history. He aims to become the first male player to win consecutive singles titles in the championship’s history. Speaking during an interview on the sidelines of the tournament, Kuti declared, “I will defend the men’s singles title. I won it last year in Lomé, defeating Côte d’Ivoire’s Oba Oba Kizito 4-1.”

“My goal is to retain the title and maintain Nigeria’s dominance in the region. I am confident and ready to give my best effort. I will use this platform to test myself against West Africa’s finest. My focus is on performance and securing Nigeria’s spot at the African Championships,” he added.

Kuti also led Nigeria’s men’s team to victory in the team event, defeating Côte d’Ivoire 3-0 in a commanding final performance. The championship features strong contingents from Nigeria, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, and other West African nations, all battling for qualification to the 2025 African Championships in Kigali, Rwanda.

The singles competition resumes on Friday, with expectations high for more intense matchups and breakthrough performances.

Ghana’s Kwabi Triumphs as Nigeria’s Kuti Eyes Title Defence at W/Africa Championship

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