ITTF-Africa Championships: Youth Triumphs Over Experience

Posted : 14 October 2025

Teenage debutants stole the spotlight at the ITTF-Africa Championships in Tunis, as youthful energy triumphed over veteran experience.

Youth has taken center stage at the ongoing ITTF-Africa Championships in Tunis, where teenage debutants have outshone seasoned veterans in the singles events, signaling a generational shift in African table tennis.

Veteran players such as Monday Olabiyi and Farouk Salifou of Benin Republic, Amgad Mahrous of Sudan, and Simon Ebode of Cameroon were all eliminated from the Men’s Singles competition. Olabiyi was swept aside 4–0 by Tunisian teenager Youssef Aidli, while Mahrous fell by the same margin to Uganda’s Jonathan Senyonga. Salifou also suffered a 4–0 loss to Nigeria’s rising star Abdulbasit Abdulfatai.

A similar story unfolded in the Women’s Singles, where youthful energy once again overshadowed veteran experience. Nigeria’s Aishat Rabiu eliminated Ghana’s Bernice Borquaye, while Algeria’s Houda Taguercifi defeated experienced Angolan player Ruth Tavares in straight sets. Fourteen-year-old Tunisian prodigy Ela Saidi stunned Rwanda’s Ruth Mihindu, and Algerian twins Tania and Jade Morice, both 15, marked their debuts with emphatic 4–0 victories.

Meanwhile, top contenders including Egypt’s Omar Assar, Youssef Abdelaziz, Mohamed El-Beili, and Mostafa Badr maintained their strong runs in the men’s category. Established names like Nigeria’s Olajide Omotayo, Algeria’s Mehdi Bouloussa, Benin Republic’s Abdel-Kader Salifou, and Tunisia’s Wassim Essid all cruised into the third round.

As the tournament heads into its decisive stages on Tuesday, October 14, anticipation grows for intense clashes that will separate the contenders from the pretenders in the race for continental glory.

Elsewhere, Cameroon’s Ylane Batix is aiming to advance beyond the Round of 32 in the Men’s Singles. The 19-year-old, who reached the semifinals of the 2025 ITTF Africa Cup, believes this is his moment to break into the continent’s elite ranks.

Despite recently recovering from a wrist injury and resuming training only a week ago, Batix remains optimistic about his chances.

“Since my first appearance, I’ve never gone past the second round. I’ve also been unlucky with the draw, facing top seeds early,” Batix said.
“In 2021, I faced Quadri Aruna in the first round in Yaoundé, and in 2023 and 2024, I lost in the Round of 32 to Bode Abiodun in Ethiopia. This year, I’m ready to fight for a top-four finish here in Tunis.”

The Cameroonian star has featured in several top-tier tournaments this year, including the Europe Smash in Sweden, and believes those experiences will give him an edge in Tunis.

ITTF-Africa Championships: Youth Triumphs Over Experience

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