BENGHAZI, Libya — Omar Assar delivered a masterclass in table tennis dominance at the 2026 ITTF Africa Cup, storming to a record 7th men's singles title without conceding a single set across six matches in what may stand as the most commanding performance in the tournament's history.

The Egyptian veteran was utterly imperious throughout the competition held from February 7-9, dispatching every opponent he faced with clinical efficiency. His ruthless run culminated in a comprehensive 4-0 demolition of Algeria's Mehdi Bouloussa in the final, winning 12-10, 11-8, 11-7, 11-7. While the opening set offered a glimpse of competitive tension, Assar quickly seized control and never looked back, pulling away with increasing authority as the match progressed.

Assar's seventh continental crown places him in rarefied air in African table tennis, a feat that speaks to both his extraordinary longevity and his relentless competitive drive. The fact that he achieved it without dropping a set — a perfect record across the entire tournament — underscores just how wide the gap remains between him and his continental rivals when he is at the peak of his powers.

Bouloussa, however, earned his place in the final through one of the tournament's most dramatic results. The Algerian pulled off a stunning semifinal upset, eliminating Nigeria's Quadri Aruna in a nerve-shredding seven-set thriller, 4-3. Aruna, a five-time Africa Cup champion and one of the continent's most decorated players, appeared to have the pedigree and experience to navigate the challenge, but Bouloussa refused to buckle under pressure, producing the performance of his career to reach the final. Though the gold medal match proved a step too far against Assar's relentless precision, the young Algerian's semifinal triumph will be remembered as a signature moment of the tournament.

The women's competition provided its own compelling narrative as Hana Goda continued her ascent to the summit of African table tennis. The Egyptian star defeated compatriot and nine-time champion Dina Meshref 4-0 in the final to claim her 4th women's singles title, a result that signals a definitive changing of the guard at the top of the women's game on the continent.

Meshref, whose nine titles make her the most decorated women's player in Africa Cup history, found no answers to Goda's aggressive, fearless approach. The shutout scoreline told the story of a match in which the younger Egyptian was in complete command from start to finish, never allowing the veteran champion to find her rhythm or mount a comeback.

With both singles crowns heading back to Cairo, Egypt's stranglehold on African table tennis has never looked stronger. The nation's depth of talent, its investment in player development, and the fierce internal competition that produces battle-hardened champions on the international stage were all on full display in Benghazi.

For Assar, the question now turns to whether he can translate his continental dominance into deeper runs at global events, where Africa's top players continue to push for greater recognition. For Goda, still building her legacy, a fourth Africa Cup title at her age suggests the best may yet be to come.

One thing is certain: when the ITTF Africa Cup returns, the rest of the continent will need to find new solutions to the Egyptian puzzle. In Benghazi, Assar and Goda made the old answers look thoroughly inadequate.