Nigeria’s trio of Segun Toriola, Aruna Quadri and Seun Ajetunmobi started their campaigns at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) organised World Tour tagged German Open with victories in their first matches at the five-day championship.

With over 290 players from 41 countries taking part in the championship in Magdeburg, Germany, Ajetunmobi inspired his compatriot when he defeated Germany’s Phillip Floritz in an explosive encounter that attracted the fans to table two.

From the start of the match, the German was confident that he was going to have a good run against the Nigerian and he got the confidence boost when he won the first two matches at 11-8, 11-5. Ajetunmobi fought back to level up at 11-9, 11-9. The German restored the lead with 1-5 win but as usual Ajetunmobi recovered to win the sixth game at 11-8. However, the final game was beyond the German as he fell 11-5 to Ajetunmobi to concede defeat.

For Aruna, it was an easy ride as he whitewashed Italy’s Marco Rech Daldosso 13-11, 11-8, 11-3, 11-6.

Just as it was for Ajetunmobi, Toriola did not have it easy against Russia’s Taras Merzlikin but he put up a good fight to beat the Russian 15-13, 8-11, 9-11, 10-12, 11-9, 11-8, 11-7.

For a place in the main draw, Ajetunmobi will play his last group match against Russia’s Alexey Liventsou, while Quadri will confront Japan’s Yuto Muramatsu on Thursday. Toriola will also battle Czech Republic’s Pavel Sirucek.

For the women’s singles pairing, Olaide Atinuke has been drawn in Group 22 alongside Slovakia’s Barbora Balazova and Hungary’s Dora Madarasz, while Ganiat Olatunde-Aruna will tackle Spain’s Galia Dvorak and Russia’s Elena Troshneva in Group 22.