Kuti bounces back with win against Tunisian player at Dakar 2026 YOG

Nigeria’s Matthew Kuti is back in the race for the knockout stage of the men’s singles table tennis at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. He secured a 3-1 victory over Tunisia’s Youssef Aidli on Sunday.

Kuti bounced back from an earlier loss to Hong Kong’s Li Ki Ho. He beat Aidli with scores of 11-8, 11-8, 9-11, and 11-7 at the Dakar Expo Centre in Senegal. This win keeps his chances alive in the tournament.

Kuti, who is Nigeria’s deputy captain and the current African Youth Cup champion, had a tough start in Group C. He lost 3-0 (11-4, 11-4, 11-3) to Li, as the Hong Kong player’s strong attacks overwhelmed him.

But Kuti showed resilience against Aidli. He won the first two games, but Aidli came back to win the third game. Kuti regained his focus in the fourth game and clinched the victory.

Now, Kuti needs one more win to qualify for the knockout stage. He will face Italy’s Francesco Travesan in his last group match on Monday. The top two players from the four-man group will move on to the next round.

After his win, Kuti talked about the tough competition at the Games. He is confident about facing the Italian player. “It has not been easy for us here in Dakar because everybody is at their best and we are all aiming for the knockout stage. I hope I can raise my game against the Italian,” he said.

In another event, Kuti and his teammate, Favour Ojo, were knocked out early in the mixed doubles. They lost to their Thai opponents in the round of 16 on Saturday.

Ojo also did not move forward in the women’s singles event. She lost 3-1 to Egypt’s Yara Elbadawy in her second group match. This came after her initial loss in the group stage, ending her hopes for the knockout rounds.

With Ojo’s campaign finished, all eyes are now on Kuti and his crucial match against Travesan. The Nigerian is determined to keep his medal hopes alive in Dakar.