Toriola rues Lagos ITTF Tour miss

• As Egypt’s Assar eyes title defence

Nigeria’s Segun Toriola has expressed disappointment over his non availability for the 2015 edition of the Lagos Open of the International Table Tennis Federation World Tour, which serves off on March 10 at the Molade Okoya- Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
Toriola’s French club, Argentan Bayard, refused to release him for the
$46,000 prize money championship due to the Premier league side’s crucial encounter against Roanne lntt on March 10.
“On March 10 when the Lagos ITTF World Tour will kick off, we are to face Roanne lntt and we tried to appeal to our opponent to postpone the match but they refused. This has made it impossible for me to leave the team because I cannot play a match on March 10 and travel again to Lagos on March 11, it will be too stressful for me,” he said.
Toriola who is one of Africa’s, most decorated players added that, “I know my fans will be expecting me in Lagos and would be disappointed knowing that I am not coming. I appeal to them to please bear with me and understand that I would have loved to take part in the competition.
Meanwhile, Two-time champion of the International Table Tennis Federation Lagos Tour Assar has expressed confidence in defending his title at the 2015 edition of the competition. “I am always nervous in every tournament I play even when I am listed as the top seed.

This does not matter to me because I am always focused during the preparation and dreaming about coming first as well as clinching the gold medal,” he said. “Lagos World Tour is a special event for me and I am always looking forward to playing in Lagos every year.