In Accra, Ghana, the 2026 ITTF Africa Youth Cup unfolded as a festival of grit, redemption, and rising stars. At the heart of it all was Nigeria’s Matthew Kuti, who finally broke through to claim his first continental crown in the boys’ U-19 singles.
For years, Kuti had chased glory without success, but on July 29 at the Borteyman Sports Complex, he delivered a performance that silenced doubts. Facing compatriot Sultan Agunbiade in the final, Kuti’s 4–1 victory was more than a win—it was a statement. His journey to the title was marked by vengeance: earlier in the semifinals, he avenged his painful quarterfinal exit at the Africa Youth Championships by overpowering Egypt’s Abdelmalk Elsayed 4–2.
Agunbiade’s own path was equally dramatic. Drawn against Tunisia’s top seed and defending champion, Wassim Essid, Agunbiade stunned the crowd with a blistering 3–0 start. Though Essid clawed back a game, the Nigerian sealed the 4–1 victory, proving that the balance of power in African youth table tennis is shifting.
In the girls’ U-19 singles, Egypt’s Habiba Elbasoumy emerged as the continent’s new queen, defeating Algeria’s Jade Morice 4–1. The semifinal had already promised a fresh champion after top seed Yara Elbadawy bowed out in the quarters, leaving Elbasoumy and Morice to battle for supremacy.
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The U-15 girls’ singles brought another tale of redemption. Tunisia’s Ela Saidi, who had narrowly lost 3–2 to Uganda’s Patience Anyango at the Youth Championships, returned with fire in her eyes. This time, she left no room for doubt, sweeping Anyango aside 3–0 in a dominant display that crowned her the new African U-15 champion.
Egypt’s Asser Sameh, nicknamed “Mr. Perfect,” lived up to his moniker in the boys’ U-15 event. With an unbeaten run across singles and team competitions, Sameh capped his flawless campaign by dismantling Uganda’s Joseph Sebatindira in the final 3-0. His consistency and composure made him the standout star of Accra, he was the only player to remain undefeated across all events.
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