Banda progresses at Durban World Table Tennis game, Nalavwe eliminated

Zambia’s current top male Table Tennis player Charles Banda progressed to the round of 32 of the World Table Tennis (WTT) 2023 Durban World Contender’s series event in South Africa.

This was after he recorded a walkover win over Cade Peters of South Africa.

Peters surrendered the victory to Banda who was handed a 3-0 win after failing to show up for the fixture which was scheduled for 16 hours.

Banda, who is Africa Union Sports Council Region Five table tennis 2022 bronze medalist, would now meet Tevia Sapire from South Africa in the second round of the competition.

In the female category, Latifah Nalavwe was eliminated from the competition after a 3-1 loss to South Africa’s Boipelo Mashwabi in the first round.

African’s top athletes among them Quadric Aruna of Nigeria, ranked 15th in the world in men’s singles as well as Dina Meshref of Egypt rated 30th on world ITTF table tennis rankings were expected to play as dark horse at the competition.

Apart from top money prizes, players are fighting for International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) table tennis world ranking points, which enables players to compete in ITTF organised events.

Also read: All comers meet set for January 28 —Zambia Athletics

The 2023 Durban contest is also being used as a preparatory tournament for South Africa Table Tennis Board, as it prepares to host the 2023 ITTF world championship finals later this year from May 20 to 28