 Hello and welcome to Plus Sports and Plus TV Africa. It's Wednesday and of course the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals has already given us much to talk about. But we'll start in Nigeria today with Quadri Aruna who continues to reach new heights in the sport of table tennis becoming the first African Nigerian and black table tennis player to be ranked in the world's top 10. As the International Table Tennis Federation ITTF released its latest rankings on Tuesday. Aruna set a new all-time high by breaking into the top 10 in the world. Aruna's new world ranking of 10 came as a result of the ITTF Executive Committee's approval of the new world ranking system. He has recently been in a strong period in his career showcasing his consistency in both his performances and his participation. He has spent the last year accumulating a string of top 8 finishes while remaining one of the most active players on the WTT circuit. Aruna has made headlines for dispatching China's rising stars in succession at the 2022 WTT star contender Doha and a quarter final appearance at the World Table Tennis Championships finals. According to World Table Tennis WTT, the king of Africa has finally made it into the top 10 in the world after a long wait. Now I have with me today, Madashiro Shitu, to talk to me about what exactly this means for our table tennis. Is this just an individual achievement or is it for telling future successes for athletes, Nigerian athletes and even African athletes in table tennis? Madashiro Shitu? Liverpool manager Jogun Klopp says reaching the Champions League final for the third time with the Reds feels like the first. Klopp's team performed a stunning turnaround from two goals down at half-time against Villarreal to win 3-2 at the Estadio de la Ceramica and go through 5-2 an aggregate. Luis Diaz came on for Diego Jota at the interval and proved the difference for Liverpool with the dazzling performance as he got on the score sheet alongside Fabinho and Zedio Mane. Klopp labelled Liverpool's first half performance as poor and admitted that he and his assistant Peter Krawitz struggled to find any positives whatsoever. Andrew Robertson described Diaz as a special talent and things the Colombian has fitted Liverpool perfectly since arriving in January. Well Klopp has much to be thankful for obviously Liverpool are a big team but Villarreal already exceeded expectations this season and the fact that they are in sixth position in La Liga means that they will not be able to play in the Champions League next season. So this was the only opportunity left all of their eggs was in this basket and with the first half results it must have looked like that was possible to achieve. If they had gotten into the finals who knows what kind of upset they might have been able to drum up against either Real Madrid or Manchester City but the efforts and the brilliance of Luis Diaz seem to come on and add a different dynamic and dimension to the Liverpool attack. And in the end well even on the night Liverpool managed to win 3-2 making it 5-2 on aggregate. Now New England cricket captain Ben Stokes says veteran players James Anderson and Stort Broad are part of his best team the Pays-Bowling duo who are first and second in the all time list of test wicket-takers for England set out the recent tour of the West Indies with no guarantee they would return to the side however speaking to the media for the first time since becoming England's test captain and replacing close friend Joe Root all rounder Stokes said they are in line for a recall for the first test against New Zealand next month. I've obviously made it pretty clear already to new ECB managing director Rob Key that he's on the same wavelength and he's on the same wavelength as me that you pick your best 11 players and if Stort Broad and James Anderson are fit they are definitely part of that said Stokes at an event at Durham Cricket Club his home county. We've managed to get Madashiru Shitu back but the phone call Madashiru. Good morning. What time? Welcome. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Welcome on the show Madashiru. Before we talk about this I would actually like to go back to the table tennis. The fact is Quadri has attained the highest level he's ever done in his career and in fact he is doing much good for the image of black people everywhere whether you're African or you come from any other country outside of Africa. This is the highest ranked any black person has ever been. Only black man has ever been in world table tennis but more accurately more specifically this question is about whether his efforts his rise right now signifies that Nigerian tennis is Nigerian table tennis is doing better than it has done in the past or is this just an individual effort that raises his stock in the game. Muda? Let me then answer the last question and then I don't want to say this is an individual effort. There are many other countries that are in the 8th grade, 20th grade and even in junior level. But now we're starting with kudos for our mentor for believing in himself that he can do it. Let's not forget that table tennis is a Chinese-dominated sport so we will never know how impact which that I will not give you to the first person in the past now to the 10th in the world. If you look carefully, both I have a faith about the same which I need and just want to add to this speech by his own effort and the support of the government and the support of the Nigerian table tennis foundation led by Emdina Isha Poutiko. Let's also remind those that there is only issue that will know the impact of getting to the top 10 in the world. We think we know the impact right now by celebrating and talking about it. 10 years ago, Muda and the state and Africa turned to the top 10. Muda was introduced to describing that we don't know this as a rival to Omar Saab. He is not a rival to the Nigerian table tennis and African table tennis. And he has put a lot of people behind. 10 years from now, it is where we now know the impact of the South African table tennis to get to the top 10. Alright, thank you Muda. I want to come back to Champions League football. Tonight we're going to be having another blockbuster second leg semi-final in the Champions League. Kevin De Bruyne has reflected on teammate Phil Foden's rise from a little boy to now becoming Manchester City's difference maker. De Bruyne was speaking ahead of City's trip to the Benabao to face Real Madrid in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final. City holder Slender 4-3 lead and De Bruyne believes his fellow midfielder has proven he can be decisive on the biggest stage. Muda, I want to, I mean a lot is being said about these young English talents right now. Mason Mount, Phil Foden. These are contemporaries and Phil Foden is doing so well that he's able to nail a starting spot within a Manchester City side that is chock full of expensive exciting talented players even managing to keep the likes of 100 million pound grillish on the bench. Does he start tonight and if he does, might he be the reason Manchester City finally becomes worthy of a final in which they could potentially win the Champions League? He's been amazing. It's not that the talent is in school and in the long run the English football has not produced a player like that. It depends if you can see of such a talent when the age is of Steve Manaman, the age is of the other player which is very much focusing. So if the talent and contribution to Manchester City cannot be overestimated, Muda has really contributed so much in the past. Phil Foden is doing something very, very well. Muda's speciality, this is contribution to Manchester City this year. But beyond the club level is the big massive support and support for the Southgate team. One of the things we want to understand is that they have also been enjoying the massive support of the team who has also been playing and giving in so much contribution in regards to achieving his talent. Let's not forget into the working process. We can also not forget that there are also many players in the past that are also working progress which at the end of the day is not achieving their potentials. So we shouldn't put any pressure on the young lad just yet. Let's listen to Kevin De Bruyne speak on Phil Foden. Well Kevin De Bruyne is praising the young midfielder slash forward slash versatile player that is Phil Foden. The lad seems to be capable of playing almost anywhere in midfield and in attack and he's been utilized by Pep Guardiola in such a manner that his game has developed to such stratospheric levels. Now of course we should talk, we should say that tonight if he starts he will likely be a difference maker. His ability to create chances and also score his ability to read the defense and make timely runs is impressive for a player of his young age. Now in tennis Novak Djokovic reached the round of 16 at the Madrid Open with a comfortable 6-3-6-2 victory over Galman Fies. It means Djokovic remains unbeaten against his French counterpart improving their head-to-head record to 18-0. And in doing so the Serb assured a record extending 369th week as the world number one. He's also the first player to hold an 18-0 record over a player in the open era. Now unfortunately we've run out of time on this show so I want to say thank you to Mudah Shirushitu for joining us today. Mudah? Thank you very much. Alright, thank you. Have a wonderful day. And to everyone at home I want to say a big thank you for choosing Plus Sports on Plus TV Africa. It's your destination for all of your sports news needs. Remember in sports if Quadri Aruna's top 10 ranking tells you nothing other than this it's that in sports you get what you put in and your efforts. There's nowhere to hide them. There's always reward for maximum effort. Remember life is never boring with some sports. My name is Mikhail Tinibu. Have a wonderful day. Thanks for watching.