Hana Goda Carries Africa’s Hopes as ITTF World Cup Knockout Stage Begins in Macao
Egypt’s teenage star Hana Goda will carry Africa’s hopes alone into the knockout stage of the ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup Macao 2026, after Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna and others failed to advance from the group stage.
The 19-year-old Goda produced one of the standout performances of the tournament so far, defeating Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching 3-0 on Day 3 to secure her first-ever main draw appearance.
Her flawless run, without dropping a single game, has made her one of the most compelling stories of the competition and Africa’s sole representative as the race for the Evans and Hammarlund Cups intensifies in the ITTF’s centenary year.
The group stage delivered drama across both draws.
In the women’s event, two-time defending champion Sun Yingsha progressed smoothly and now bids to become the first player ever to win three consecutive ITTF Women’s World Cup titles.
Germany’s Sabine Winter marked her return to the knockout rounds after a decade, while Chen Xingtong and Puerto Rico’s Adriana Diaz both advanced unbeaten, setting up a clash that will break one of their perfect records.
The men’s competition was equally gripping. Argentina’s Horacio Cifuentes stunned China’s Liang Jingkun, while former champion Dimitrij Ovtcharov staged a remarkable comeback against the same opponent.
France’s Thibault Poret and reigning champion Hugo Calderano survived five-game thrillers, while world number one Wang Chuqin and rising star Felix Lebrun both advanced unbeaten, setting up a blockbuster Round of 16 showdown.
As the knockout stage begins today at the Galaxy Arena in Macao, all eyes will be on Goda’s clash with France’s Jia Nan Yuan, a battle of youthful fearlessness against seasoned experience.
