Kunle Adelabu
The West African table tennis champion, Master Matthew Kuti, has pledged to win his tournament which is a World Table Tennis (WTT) championship for the country.
The tournament will be played at the Sir Molade Okoya- Thomas Indoor Sports Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, between July 22 and 26, 2025.
Kuti who is number one in Nigeria, at the weekend won the regional championship in Lagos and set a record of being the first time a champion tennis player won the West African championship back -to -back.
He expressed his delight at retaining the championship, when our reporter visited him at his training ground, where he also shared us the calendar with him for this year.
“I am very happy to win the tournament again. I won it last year 4- 2 and again, this year, 4 – 1. I feel very happy retaining the championship back to back.
“The tournament afforded us to gain points and improve your world ranking. That’s why I charge myself that I must win it to improve my ranking. I had to fight and that’s exactly what I did to win it again.
“I am 178th in the world ranking but with the winning of this regional championship, I have gained 70 points and by next week when they release the ranking, it’s possible that they increase my rating.”
Speaking on his next championship, Kuti says that he is ready to win it for the country to improve his ranking.
“I am preparing for the WTT. It is going to be a very tough one because people are coming from all over the world to play in Lagos and I am ready to fight.
“My preparation for the tournament is in top gear. I want to fight and win the tournament and also improve on my ranking.
“It will be a tough tournament, but I am ready to fight and win it for Nigeria. I am expecting opponents from Portugal, France, Germany and other countries,” he said.
He also said that he will be participating in the forthcoming African Youth Championship later this year, a tournament that he lost in the final two years ago.
“After the upcoming tournament, I will have the opportunity to participate again in yet another tournament – African Youth which I lost in the final in 2023. It is an U – 19 tournament which is also going to be played in Nigeria.”
However, the national champion has sought support in getting the necessary materials needed.
“We are being given clothes and canvass by the federation but I need rubber, canvass and wood. You know my opponents from other countries will be bringing new rubbers and it is important that I have those too,” he said.
