Tag: Olajide Omotayo

African table tennis stars are set to make their mark at the WTT US Smash 2025, with Nigeria’s Olajide Omotayo and Egypt’s Mohamed El-Beiali spearheading the continent’s campaign in the preliminary round of the prestigious tournament. The event, which runs for 11 days (July 3 to 13) at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, is the first WTT Grand Smash to be held on American soil and boasts a prize pool of $1.55 million. Omotayo, the 2019 African Games champion, returns to the international stage with a challenging opener against wildcard Victor Xie of the United States. The Nigerian, currently ranked 162nd in the world, will rely on his experience and ranking advantage over the 777th-rated Chinese-born American when they clash on Friday, July 4. Now based between the United States and France, Omotayo faces a tough path to the main draw, where elite global stars await. His performance will be closely watched as Africa seeks representation among the tournament’s top contenders. Joining him in the preliminary round is Egypt’s El-Beiali, who will face Slovenia’s Deni Kozul. El-Beiali’s compatriot, Mahmoud Helmy, is set to take on American Ved Sheth, while Algeria’s Mehdi Bouloussa will battle Sweden’s Kristian Karlsson. Benin Republic’s Abdel-Kader Salifou rounds out the African men’s singles lineup with a match against Spain’s Juan Perez. In the women’s singles, Egypt’s Yosura Helmy stands as the sole African representative in the preliminary round, facing American Mandy Yu. Meanwhile, top African players, including Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna and Egypt’s Omar Assar, have secured spots in the main draw of the men’s singles. Egypt’s trio of Hana Goda, Dina Meshref, and Mariam Alhodaby will also begin their campaigns directly in the women’s singles main draw. Excitement is building among global stars ahead of the tournament. Men’s singles world champion Wang Chuqin of China expressed his enthusiasm: “Las Vegas often hosts world-class sports events. I’m looking forward to showcasing myself in such a unique atmosphere where sports and entertainment meet.” Sweden’s Anton Kallberg echoed the sentiment: “There’s so much buzz about visiting Vegas, so I just want to see and feel all of it.” American star Lily Zhang, a frequent visitor to Las Vegas, shared her anticipation: “The city has everything — it hosts all the big events and has glitz and glamour.” Homegrown talent Kanak Jha added, “There’s no city in the world like it. So many experiences, great vibes, and stimulation.” As the WTT US Smash 2025 kicks off, African players will be looking to make a strong impression and advance to the main draw, where the world’s best will battle for glory in one of table tennis’ most exciting arenas.