French table tennis superstar Félix Lebrun dominated qualifying qualifier Milosz Redzimski of Poland in his first match at the Beijing Grand Smash. This tournament marks the great return of the Lebrun brothers and Simon Gauzy since the Paris Games where the French team won two medals, individually and as a team.
He did it again. Félix Lebrun (18 years old) awakened the evanescent and yet so intoxicating memory of the exploits of the Blues of ping at the Paris Olympic Games this Sunday, during his entry into the running at the Grand Smash of China, the equivalent of a tournament of the Grand Slam in tennis.
Opposed to the Pole Milosz Redzimski (67th in the world) for his return to competition, the French n°1 (5th in the world), double Olympic medalist (mounted on the third step of the podium in individual and team), saved two set points in the fourth set and lined up four points in a row to win in four sets (6-11, 11-6, 11-2, 12-10).
A stunning scenario which is reminiscent of the end of his match against Tomokazu Harimoto this summer. Touched by grace, the Frenchman achieved the feat of scoring five consecutive points and erasing three match points to increase the Blues’ lead to 2-0 in the match for third place in the team tournament.
Heavy entry for Simon Gauzy and Alexis Lebrun
Against the Pole Milosz Redzimski, Félix Lebrun had a tricky start with the loss of the first set. Time to regain sensations and make the few necessary adjustments to his game, and the Frenchman comfortably took the lead in this part at the end of an outrageously dominated third set.
Extremely mentally resilient, Félix Lebrun perfectly managed the two opposing throw-ins by being aggressive, before dealing the blow on his own serve. Serious against a player from qualifying, Félix Lebrun is now waiting to know his next opponent: the winner of the meeting between the Spaniard Alvaro Robles (30th) and the Australian Finn Luu (43rd).
Close to world No. 1 Wang Chuqin in the table (potential opponent in 8th), Simon Gauzy also enters the fray this Sunday, against the Taiwanese Cheng-Jui Kao, a very dangerous opponent, while the poster for these This Monday, the 32nd finals pit Alexis Lebrun against his bete noire, the Brazilian Hugo Calderano, 3rd player in the world. The draw was not kind to the eldest of the Lebrun siblings
