The upcoming showdown will be the seventh meeting between Aruna and Harimoto in the past six years. Their head-to-head record is closely watched, especially since Aruna has secured two wins in their last three encounters. However, Harimoto emerged victorious in their most recent face-off, dispatching Aruna 3-0 in straight games at the WTT Star Contender Doha on January 11 of this year.
One of their most memorable battles took place at the WTT Champions Frankfurt in November 2024, where Aruna pulled off an upset, edging Harimoto 3-2 in a gripping five-game thriller. This followed Aruna’s dominant 3-0 triumph over the Japanese prodigy at the 2023 Singapore Smash, a result that powerfully showcased the Nigerian’s explosive forehand. Despite these recent successes for Aruna, Harimoto previously held a strong grip on their rivalry, defeating Aruna 3-0 at the 2021 Star Contender in Doha, and claiming two resounding wins in 2019 – a 4-1 victory at the World Cup in Chengdu and a crushing 4-0 win at the Hong Kong Open.
Now 22, Harimoto remains one of the sport's most formidable and complete players. His aggressive right-handed playing style and razor-sharp reflexes under pressure have consistently kept him entrenched in the ITTF top five. He boasts an impressive 76 percent win rate in 2025 and enters this encounter as the third seed, making him a significant challenge for Aruna.
Aruna's Dominant First-Round Performance Fuels Confidence
Aruna enters this critical match on the back of a flawless performance in the first round on Monday, where he dispatched China's Zhou Qihao 11-9, 11-8, 11-7 in just under 30 minutes. This dominant display showcased Aruna's composure and tactical prowess.
Despite an early lead by Zhou in the first game, Aruna remained collected, fighting back from a 0-5 deficit to draw level at 6-6. He then took control with aggressive forehand attacks and deep serves, ultimately closing out the opener 11-9. The second game followed a similar pattern, with Aruna overturning a 3-5 deficit to lead 8-6. A timely timeout by the Nigerian at 8-9 helped steady his nerves, allowing him to return to the table with renewed purpose and clinch the second game 11-8. Zhou attempted a late fightback in the third, but he couldn't cope with Aruna’s relentless pressure and clever use of angles. Aruna wrapped up the match 11-7, sealing a comprehensive 3-0 victory and securing his spot in the next round.
The African number one scored 33 points overall in his first-round match, with 19 points coming from his own serve and 14 from Zhou’s serve. He also equaled Zhou’s longest winning streak of five consecutive points and demonstrated a strong ability to come from behind on multiple occasions.
High Stakes and Ranking Implications
With significant ITTF World Ranking points on offer, every round at the US Grand Smash carries major implications. Victors in Las Vegas could earn up to 2,000 ranking points, while quarterfinalists will receive 350. Aruna’s continued progress through the rounds could see him make substantial gains in the global rankings, where he has experienced a drop in recent weeks after a challenging run of results.
Meanwhile, Olajide Omotayo, the only other Nigerian participating in the event, exited in the men’s singles preliminary round. The former African Games champion lost 3-1 to Victor Xie, with scores of 11-9, 6-11, 4-11, 8-11.
All eyes will now be on Aruna as he aims to deliver another high-intensity display and overcome the formidable challenge of Tomokazu Harimoto.