Omar Assar reaffirmed his dominance of African table tennis on Monday as he clinched a record seventh men’s singles title at the ITTF Africa Cup in Benghazi, Libya, while teenage star Hana Goda continued her remarkable rise by securing her fourth women’s singles crown.

Assar was imperious throughout the tournament, completing a flawless run without dropping a single set across six matches.

The Egyptian swept most of his opponents 3–0 or 4–0 and sealed the title with a commanding 4–0 victory (12–10, 11–8, 11–7, 11–7) over Algeria’s Mehdi Bouloussa in the final, successfully defending the crown he reclaimed in 2025. His triumph further cemented his status as the only male player to win the Africa Cup seven times.

Despite the defeat, Bouloussa enjoyed a historic campaign, becoming the first Algerian to reach the Africa Cup final. The 22-year-old produced one of the tournament’s standout performances in the semifinals, edging Nigeria’s five-time champion Quadri Aruna 4–3. Bouloussa is set to make his debut at the ITTF World Cup in Macao next month.

In the women’s singles, Goda—still the youngest-ever Africa Cup champion at just 14—was equally dominant. The Egyptian teenager brushed aside her compatriot and nine-time title holder Dina Meshref 4–0 (12–10, 11–3, 11–7, 11–9) in the final to retain her title and extend her unbeaten run on the continent.

Algeria’s teenage prodigy Tania Morice also emerged as one of the revelations of the competition. Building on her cadet title at the Africa Youth Championships in Lagos last year, Morice finished among the top four in Benghazi to secure her first ITTF World Cup ticket. She defeated experienced opponents, including Nigeria’s Fatimo Bello, Madagascar’s Hanitra Raharimanana and Tunisia’s Abir Haj Salah en route to the semifinals.

Overwhelmed by her breakthrough, Morice described the achievement as “incredible,” adding that the support of her coaches, teammates and parents had been crucial to her rapid rise.

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Algeria will make a historic showing at the ITTF World Cup in Macao, China, after three of its players qualified from the 2026 ITTF Africa Cup in Benghazi, Libya.

Teenage prodigy Tania Morice, experienced left-hander Stéphane Ouaiche and surprise men’s semifinalist Mehdi Bouloussa all booked places among Africa’s representatives, marking a major milestone for Algerian table tennis.

Morice’s qualification capped a remarkable debut at the continental championship. Competing in the Africa Cup for the first time, the reigning African girls’ cadet champion swept through the group stage before sealing her World Cup ticket with a dominant 4–0 quarterfinal victory over Tunisia’s Abir Haj Salah.

The teenager had earlier announced her arrival with a stunning 3–1 upset of Nigeria’s Fatimo Bello, the fourth seed and 2022 Africa Cup runner-up, on the opening day of competition. She now heads to Macao for the biggest test of her burgeoning career.

Ouaiche’s qualification was equally significant. The France-based star, who last represented Algeria at the 2023 African Games in Ghana, finally ended a three-year wait imposed by ITTF nationality transfer regulations.

With the eligibility period completed, Ouaiche produced an emphatic run in Benghazi, topping his group before recording straight-games victories over Nigeria’s Olajide Omotayo and Cameroon’s Ylane Batix. His qualification made him the only new face among Africa’s men’s representatives for the World Cup.

Bouloussa completed Algeria’s impressive haul with a major upset in the men’s singles semifinal, defeating Egypt’s third seed Youssef Abdelaziz 4–2 in a pulsating encounter. The result ensured Algeria will be represented by three players in Macao, underlining the country’s growing influence on the African table tennis scene.

Elsewhere, Africa’s established stars also secured their World Cup places. Egypt’s Hana Goda and Dina Meshref qualified once again, while Mariam Alhodaby earned her second appearance at the global showpiece after beating Nigeria’s Bello 4–1.

Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna advanced with a commanding 4–0 win over Egyptian teenager Badr Mostafa, while defending Africa Cup champion Omar Assar eased past Tunisia’s Wassim Essid by the same scoreline.

The Africa Cup semifinals promise high drama. In the men’s singles, Assar will face Ouaiche, while Aruna meets Bouloussa for the first time. On the women’s side, Goda takes on compatriot Alhodaby, with Morice set for a daunting showdown against nine-time champion Meshref in what could be a defining moment in the young Algerian’s career.

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The 2026 ITTF Africa Cup burst into life in Benghazi, Libya, with a wave of youthful brilliance on opening day as Africa’s rising stars rattled the continent’s established order.

Teenage sensation Tania Morice of Algeria emerged as the standout performer, announcing her arrival on the continental stage in emphatic fashion. Competing in her first Africa Cup and unseeded, Morice produced a flawless group-stage display against vastly more experienced opponents.

Algeria’s Tana Morice

She stunned Nigeria’s Fatimo Bello, the 2022 runner-up, and Madagascar’s Hanitra Raharimanana, seeded fourth and fifth respectively, recording commanding 3–1 victories in both encounters to top her group and secure a place in the women’s singles knockout round.

“I’m really glad to win,” Morice said after her breakthrough performances. “I had a good feeling because I believed I could win.”

In the men’s singles, Egypt’s reigning African Youth Champion Badr Mostafa also caught the eye with a gritty 3–2 victory over Tunisia’s Wassim Essid. The five-game battle tested the young Egyptian’s composure, but he credited experience and preparation for seeing him through.

“Thank God, I was able to win because Wassim is one of the best players in Africa,” Mostafa said. “The match was difficult, especially at the beginning, but I’ve worked hard, gained more experience, and that’s helped me perform better.”

Despite the early shocks, the tournament’s heavyweights ultimately asserted their authority. Top seeds Omar Assar, Quadri Aruna, Youssef Abdelaziz and Mehdi Bouloussa all advanced comfortably in the men’s singles.

On the women’s side, Egyptian trio Hana Goda, Dina Meshref and Mariam Alhodaby navigated the opening round without major alarms, brushing aside determined challenges from younger rivals.

Attention now turns to Day 2 on Sunday, February 8, as the intensity rises in Benghazi, with podium places and coveted qualification spots for the ITTF World Cup firmly in sight.

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